NHTSA Wants Your Take: Phones Stealing Focus on Roads?
Published Date: 3/6/2026
Notice
Summary
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants your thoughts on a new study about how using personal electronic devices distracts drivers. This one-time research will help improve road safety and needs approval before it starts. If you’re interested, send your comments by May 5, 2026—no cost to you, just your voice!
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Part I participants get $120 honorarium
If you take part in Part I (the occlusion study in the Washington, DC area) you will be paid a $120 honorarium when you finish. Part I plans for up to 56 final participants and the Part I test procedures take about 115 minutes per participant.
Part II pays $120 and uses overbooking
If you take part in Part II (the closed-course track near Salt Lake City, Utah) you will be paid $120. Sessions are double-booked so two people may be invited to the same session but only one will complete the driving tasks; both invited people are paid $120.
Time burden: 531.4 total study hours
The study is a one-time collection with estimated total burden of 531.4 hours: Part I totals about 139 hours and Part II about 392.4 hours. Per-participant procedures are about 115 minutes for Part I and about 160 minutes for Part II.
Strict eligibility limits for volunteers
To join the study you must meet many rules: be at least 18 years old for Part I or 21 years old for Part II, be familiar with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, have a valid driver’s license, drive at least 3,000 miles per year, have normal or corrected vision and hearing, be fluent in English, and be generally healthy. Businesses cannot participate.
Study collects eye-tracking and driving metrics
If you participate, researchers will record where you look (eye tracking), vehicle control data (lane position, speed, steering), task completion times, error rates, and questionnaire responses. These biometric and performance data will be analyzed to evaluate driver distraction.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this federal register document and every other regulation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-05024 — Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Modernization of FMVSS No. 102 To Accommodate ADS-Equipped Vehicles
NHTSA wants to update a safety rule to help self-driving cars that don’t have steering wheels or gear shifts. They’re proposing to remove the need for a gear position display in these automated vehicles, cutting costs without hurting safety. If you have thoughts, speak up by April 15, 2026!
2026-05023 — Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Modernization of FMVSS No. 103 and FMVSS No. 104 To Accommodate ADS-Equipped Vehicles; Incorporation by Reference
NHTSA is updating rules for windshield defrosting, defogging, wiping, and washing to better fit self-driving cars that don’t have steering wheels or pedals. These cars won’t have to follow old rules meant for human drivers, cutting costs and unnecessary requirements without hurting safety. The changes kick in about six months after the final rule, and manufacturers can still add these features if they want.
2025-22674 — Public Hearing for Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards: The Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicle Rule III for Model Years 2022 to 2031 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks
The government is holding a virtual public hearing on January 7, 2026, about new fuel economy rules for cars and light trucks from 2022 to 2031. These rules aim to keep vehicles safer and more affordable while improving fuel efficiency. If you care about how much gas your car uses or how much you pay at the pump, this is your chance to speak up before the rules are finalized.
2026-06507 — Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for Comment; Novel Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Designs
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants your thoughts on a new study about cool, next-level car controls called Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI). This one-time info collection aims to help make driving safer and smarter, and they need approval before starting. If you’re interested, send your comments by June 2, 2026—no cost to you, just your voice!
2026-06254 — Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Modernization of FMVSS No. 110 To Accommodate ADS-Equipped Vehicles
NHTSA is updating a safety rule to help self-driving vehicles that don’t have a traditional driver’s side. Instead of the usual spot, these vehicles can put their tire and load info placard on the left side, making it easier to follow the rules without risking safety. This change affects vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less and invites public comments by May 1, 2026—no big costs, just smarter rules for smart cars!
2026-05502 — Agency Information Collection Activities; Notice and Request for Comment; Consolidated Labeling Requirements and Procedures for Selecting Lines To Be Covered by the Theft Prevention Standard
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants to bring back a paperwork process that helps label cars and pick which models need theft prevention features. This affects car makers who must follow these labeling rules and theft standards. If approved, the process will continue smoothly, and the public can share their thoughts by May 19, 2026.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-04439 — Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Proposed Collection; Comment Request for a Modified OGE Form 201 Request an Individual's Ethics Documents
The Office of Government Ethics wants to update and extend the OGE Form 201, which people use to request ethics documents from the executive branch. This change affects anyone asking for these public financial reports and aims to keep the process smooth for the next three years. Comments on the update are open until April 6, 2026, with no new costs expected.
Next: 2026-04441 — Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Vessel Logbooks and Cost-Earnings Data Reports
NOAA is asking for public feedback on renewing their forms that fishing boats use to report catches and costs for Atlantic big fish like tuna. This helps keep fishing fair and sustainable without adding new paperwork right now. If you fish or work with these species, your input matters before May 5, 2026!
Take It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in