Apr 1 -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) invites public comments by June 3, 2022 about our intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a reinstatement with modification of the National Survey of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Attitudes, Knowledge, and Behaviors.
NHTSA is seeking approval to conduct a National Survey of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Attitudes, Knowledge, and Behaviors by web and mail among a national probability sample of 7,500 adults (and 150 adults for a pilot survey), age 18 and older to obtain up-to-date information about bicyclist and pedestrian attitudes and behaviors. Participation by respondents would be voluntary. Survey topics include the extent to which Americans engage in walking and bicycling activity, their attitudes toward and experience with various facilities, road conditions, and technologies, and their opinions on pedestrian and bicycling safety topics.
In conducting the proposed research, the survey would use computer-assisted web interviewing (i.e., a programmed, self-administered web survey) to minimize recording errors, as well as optical mark recognition and image scanning for the paper and pencil survey to facilitate ease of use and data accuracy. A Spanish-language survey option would be used to minimize language barriers to participation. Surveys would be conducted with respondents using an address-based sampling design that encourages respondents to complete the survey online. Although web-based interviewing would be the primary data collection mode, a paper questionnaire would be sent to households that do not respond to the web invitations. This collection only requires respondents to report their answers; there are no recordkeeping costs to the respondents.
NHTSA was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970 and its mission is to reduce the number of deaths, injuries, and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes on the Nation's highways. To further this mission, NHTSA is authorized to conduct research as a foundation for the development of traffic safety programs. Title 23, United States Code, Section 403, gives the Secretary of Transportation (NHTSA by delegation) authorization to use funds appropriated to conduct research and development activities, including demonstration projects and the collection and analysis of highway and motor vehicle safety data and related information, with respect to all aspects of highway and traffic safety systems and conditions relating to vehicle, highway, driver, passenger, motorcyclist, bicyclist, and pedestrian characteristics; accident causation and investigations; and human behavioral factors and their effect on highway and traffic safety. Pedestrian safety and bicyclist safety are two of multiple behavioral areas for which NHTSA has developed comprehensive programs to meet its injury reduction goals. The major components of pedestrian and bicyclist safety programs are education, enforcement, and outreach.
NHTSA encourages walking and bicycling as alternate modes of transportation to motor vehicle travel; however, pedestrians and bicyclists are among the most vulnerable road users. Motor vehicle crashes in 2019 accounted for 6,205 pedestrian fatalities and 846 bicyclist and other cyclist fatalities. That same year, 76,000 pedestrians and 49,000 bicyclists were injured in traffic crashes. Moreover, increasing safe walking and bicycling behavior is promoted as a positive contributor to the quality of life. But an increase in walking and bicycling often means an increase in exposure to potential risk of collision with motor vehicles, underscoring the need to have in place aggressive pedestrian and bicyclist safety programs to reduce injuries and fatalities. This in turn requires periodic data collection to assess whether the programs continue to be responsive to the public's information needs, behavioral intentions, attitudes, physical environment, and other factors that contribute to safety while walking or bicycling.
The National Survey of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Attitudes, Knowledge, and Behaviors was conducted on two previous occasions—first in 2002 and again in 2012. Those surveys provided program planners and community leaders with detailed information on walking and bicycling behavior, level of support for facilities assisting those activities and awareness of safety issues. Since it has been ten years since NHTSA last conducted the survey, the information needs updating, especially given recent programs and initiatives to increase walking and bicycling, as well as the emergence of new technologies including e-bikes, e-scooters, and fitness trackers. This project will provide that update by conducting the 2022 National Survey of Bicyclist and Pedestrian Attitudes and Behaviors. In the 2022 survey, NHTSA intends to examine the extent to which Americans engage in walking and bicycling activity, their attitudes towards and experience with various facilities, road conditions, and technologies, and their opinions on pedestrian and bicycling safety topics. Furthermore, NHTSA plans to assess whether self-reported behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions regarding walking and bicycling have changed over time since the administration of the prior national surveys. NHTSA will use the findings to assist States, localities, and communities in developing and refining walking and bicycling safety programs that will aid in their efforts to reduce pedestrian and bicyclist crashes and injuries.
NHTSA will use the information to produce a technical report that presents the results of the study. The technical report will provide aggregate (summary) statistics and tables as well as the results of statistical analysis of the information, but it will not include any personally identifiable information. The technical report will be shared with State highway offices, local governments, and those who develop traffic safety communications that aim to reduce pedestrian and bicyclist crashes.
Participation in this study will be voluntary. For the main survey collection, 7,500 participants will be sampled from all 50 States and the District of Columbia using address data from the most recent U.S. Postal Service (USPS) computerized Delivery Sequence File (DSF) of residential addresses. An estimated 22,943 households will be contacted and have the study described to them. No more than one respondent will be selected per household.
Prior to the main survey, a pilot survey will be administered to test the survey and the mailing protocol and procedures. Participation in this study will be voluntary with 150 participants sampled from all 50 States and the District of Columbia using address data from the most recent USPS computerized DSF of residential addresses. An estimated 459 households will be contacted and have the study described to them. No more than one respondent will be selected per household.
The study will be conducted one time during the three-year period for which NHTSA is requesting approval, with a small pilot study occurring several months before the study's full launch. This study is part of a tracking and trending study to measure changes over time. The last study was administered in 2012.
2012 National Survey of Bicyclist and Pedestrian Attitudes and Behavior
https://one.nhtsa.gov/Driving-Safety/Research-&-Evaluation/2012-National-Survey-of-Bicyclist-and-Pedestrian-Attitudes-and-Behavior
Draft 2022 data collection instrument and technical documentation:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5o30plqrql1ksqx/AABMjOZwbrsRFlj_ZwEX_dLua?dl=0
FRN:
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-06989