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This rulemaking would promulgate a new Federal standard that would require stability control systems on truck tractors and motorcoaches that address both rollover and loss-of-control crashes, after an extensive research program to evaluate the available technologies, an evaluation of the costs and benefits, and a review of manufacturer´s product plans. Rollover and loss-of-control crashes involving heavy vehicles is a serious safety issue that is responsible for 304 fatalities and 2,738 injuries annually. They are also a major cause of traffic tie-ups, resulting in millions of dollars of lost productivity, and excess energy consumption each year. Suppliers and truck and motorcoach manufacturers have developed stability control technology for heavy vehicles to mitigate these types of crashes. Our preliminary estimate produces an effectiveness range of 37 to 56 percent against single-vehicle tractor-trailer rollover crashes and 3 to 14 percent against loss-of-control crashes that result from skidding on the road surface. With these effectiveness estimates, annually, we estimate 29 to 66 lives would be saved, 517 to 979 MAIS 1 to 5 injuries would be reduced, and 810 to 1,693 crashes that involved property damage only would be eliminated. Additionally, it would save $10 to $26 million in property damage and travel delays. Based on the technology unit costs and affected vehicles, we estimate technology costs would be $55 to 107 million, annually. However, the costs savings from reducing travel delay and property damage would produce net benefits of $128 to $372 million. This rulemaking is responsive to requirements of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act.

Statement of Need:

Rollover and loss-of-control crashes involving combination truck tractors and large buses is a serious safety issue that is responsible for 268 fatalities and 3,000 injuries annually. They are also a major cause of traffic tie-ups, resulting in millions of dollars of lost productivity, and excess energy consumption each year. This action is consistent with our detailed plans for improving motorcoach passenger protection, laid out in NHTSA's Approach to Motorcoach Safety 2007, and the Department of Transportation 2009 Motorcoach Action Plan (Docket No. NHTSA-2007-28793), as well as the agency's Vehicle Safety and Fuel Economy Rulemaking and Research Priority Plan 2011-2013 (Docket No. NHTSA-2009-0108), and is responsive to 3 recommendations issued by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Summary of the Legal Basis:

Section 30111, title 49 of the U.S.C., states that the Secretary shall prescribe motor vehicle safety standards.

Alternatives:

The Agency considered two regulatory alternatives. First, we considered requiring truck tractors and large buses to be equipped with roll stability control (RSC) systems. The second alternative considered was requiring trailers to be equipped with RSC systems. When compared to the proposal, these alternatives provide fewer benefits because they are less effective at preventing rollover crashes and much less effective at preventing loss-of-control crashes.

Anticipated Costs and Benefits:

According to the NPRM, the anticipated total costs are expected to be $113.6 million for the 150,000 truck tractors and 2,200 large buses produced in 2012. The agency estimates the proposal has the potential to save 49 to 60 fatalities, 649 to 858 injuries, and 1,807 to 2,329 crashes annually. The net cost per equivalent life saved at a 7 percent discount rate is estimated to range from $2.0 to $2.6 million, and for a 3 percent discount rate is $1.5 to $2.0 million. The net benefits are $155 to $222 million at a 7 percent discount rate, and $228 to $310 million at a 3 percent discount rate.

Risks:

The Agency believes that there are no significant risks associated with this rulemaking, and that only beneficial outcomes will occur.