{"abstract":"Consistent with this agency's policy of seeking to adopt those regulatory requirements that produce the highest benefits at reasonable costs, this document proposes to upgrade the standard for head restraints for passenger cars and for light multipurpose vehicles, trucks and buses. The proposal would establish higher minimum height requirements for head restraints, and add a requirement limiting backset, i.e., the distance between a person's head and his or her head restraint. The proposal would also extend the requirement for head restraints to rear outboard designated seating positions; establish new strength requirements for head restraints; and place limits on the size of gaps and openings in head restraints. In addition, it would modify the dynamic compliance test and amend test procedures. The proposal would harmonize the standard with the counterpart regulation of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) to an extent, but would set different requirements for head restraint width and gap measurement for adjustable restraints. Further, it would add two requirements not found in the ECE regulation, i.e., one for backset and one for adjustment retention locks. The goal of these proposed changes is to improve the protection that head restraints provide in rear-end collisions. This document also proposes that before compliance with the upgraded requirements becomes mandatory on the first September 1, three years following publication of the final rule, the manufacturers could chose to comply with any of three sets of requirements: the existing requirements of Standard 202, the ECE regulation, or the upgraded requirements of Standard 202. The proposal to allow compliance with the ECE regulation during the interim responds to a petition for rulemaking by the American Automobile Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM) requesting that we consider the benefits of complying with the European regulation to be at least equivalent to those of complying with the existing requirements of Standard 202.","action":"Notice of proposed rulemaking.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION","name":"Transportation Department","id":492,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/transportation-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/492","parent_id":null,"slug":"transportation-department"},{"raw_name":"National Highway Traffic Safety Administration","name":"National Highway Traffic Safety Administration","id":345,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/national-highway-traffic-safety-administration","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/345","parent_id":492,"slug":"national-highway-traffic-safety-administration"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2001/01/04/01-136.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":571,"title":49}],"citation":"66 FR 968","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":"2001-03-05","correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"You should submit your comments early enough to ensure that Docket Management receives them not later than March 5, 2001.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No. 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trucks, and buses","toc_subject":"Motor vehicle safety standards:","topics":["Imports","Motor vehicle safety","Motor vehicles"],"type":"Proposed Rule","volume":66}