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July 11 -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Department of Transportation, invites comments to OMB by August 15, 2022 regarding the proposed National Driver Register (NDR).

The National Driver Register Act of 1982, Title 49 U.S.C., Subtitle VI, Part A, Chapter 303 (as amended) requires the Secretary of Transportation (NHTSA by delegation) to maintain a National Driver Register (NDR) to assist the State chief driver licensing officials in the exchange of information about the motor vehicle driving records of individuals. The chief driver licensing official of a participating State must report to the NDR identification information regarding any individual who is denied a motor vehicle operator's license for cause, whose motor vehicle operator's license is withdrawn for cause, or who is convicted of certain serious motor vehicle related offenses (specified in the Act at 49 U.S.C. 30304) or comparable offenses. (23 U.S.C. 30304(a); 23 CFR 1327, appendix A). Participating States are required to submit an inquiry to the NDR on all applicants for driver's licenses before issuing a license to the applicant. In addition, when requested by other authorized users (e.g., the Federal Aviation Administration), participating States are required to submit inquires to the NDR and provide responses to the other authorized users of the NDR for transportation safety purposes. All 50 States and the District of Columbia participate in the NDR.

The NDR maintains the computerized database known as the Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS) which contains information on individuals whose privilege to operate a motor vehicle has been revoked, suspended, canceled or denied or who have been convicted of serious traffic-related offenses. The records maintained at the NDR consist of identification information including name, date of birth, sex, driver license number, and reporting State which is collected on a daily basis.

States use interactive communication for their routine transactions with the NDR which allows them to submit the required information automatically at the same time the individual's information is entered into the State's system. Specifically, when an individual applies for a driver's license, an inquiry is automatically transmitted to the NDR when the driver's application is entered into the State's system. Likewise, when a State records license actions that have been taken against an individual that require reporting to the NDR, a transaction submitting the individual's identification information is automatically generated and transmitted to the NDR.

The purpose of the information collection is to improve traffic and transportation safety by assisting States in keeping problem drivers off the nation's highways. The NDR was established to serve as the central repository of information on problem drivers to promote information sharing among States, eliminating the need for States to contact each of the other 50 jurisdictions, and the District of Columbia individually. The information collected is used by State driver licensing agencies to identify problem drivers prior to issuing a driver's license and to develop and implement driver improvement programs. The following groups are also authorized to receive information upon inquiry to a State driver licensing agency for transportation safety purposes:

a. Employers of motor vehicle operators,
b. Employers of locomotive operators,
c. Federal Aviation Administration regarding applications for or holders of airman's certificates,
d. U.S. Coast Guard regarding applicants for or holders of licenses, certificates of registry, or merchant mariner's documents, and for Coast Guard crew members,
e. National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in connection with accident investigations,
f. Air carriers regarding individuals seeking employment as pilots, and
g. Individuals who have or are seeking access to national security information for purposes under E.O. 12968 or who are being investigated for Federal employment.

NDR webpage: https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/national-driver-register-ndr
NHTSA/NDR submission to OMB: https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202206-2127-005 Click IC List for data collection instruments, View Supporting Statement for technical documentation. Submit comments through this webpage. [NHTSA submitted to OMB on July 14.]
FR notice: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-14725

For AEA members wishing to submit comments, "A Primer on How to Respond to Calls for Comment on Federal Data Collections" is available at https://www.aeaweb.org/content/file?id=5806

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