National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Prevalence of Road Users: 2025

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
Form NHTSA 1764 NRS Informed Consent and Respondent Questions - Other Road Users Form	New
Form NHTSA 1763 NRS Informed Consent and Respondent Questions - Drivers and Motorcyclists Form and Instruction	New
NRS 30-Day FRN.pdf Supplementary Document	2025-09-19
NRS Part A 2025.docx Supporting Statement A	2025-09-19
NRS Part B 2025.docx Supporting Statement B	2025-09-08
60-Day Federal Register Notice.pdf Supplementary Document	2025-09-03
NRS Questions and Justifications.docx Supplementary Document	2025-09-03

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
277376	NRS Informed Consent and Respondent Questions - Other Road Users Form	New
277372	NRS Informed Consent and Respondent Questions - Drivers and Motorcyclists Form and Instruction	New

ICR Details

OMB Control No:	ICR Reference No: 202508-2127-005
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: DOT/NHTSA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Prevalence of Road Users: 2025
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 09/22/2025

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved
Responses	3,373	0
Time Burden (Hours)	531	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: National Roadside Surveys (NRSs) are a central tool in understanding alcohol- and drug-involved driving. Starting in 1973, roadside surveys of drivers on the road have estimated the population-level prevalence of drinking and driving in the United States. The core methodology has continued across decades, but NHTSA has initiated improvements. The number of sites has increased, drugs of interest have been modified to reflect use across the country, and advances in technology have impacted how data can be collected and specimens analyzed. Conducting an NRS on a periodic basis (e.g., about every 10 years) allows NHTSA to examine the prevalence of alcohol and drug use among drivers, and trends across survey years. Given States are legalizing medicinal and/or recreational use of cannabis, and other issues such as the apparent increase in opioid use in the U.S., more information is needed on the level of alcohol- and drug-involved driving to better inform NHTSA’s countermeasure development. Roadside surveys provide objective measures of alcohol and drugs in drivers’ systems when they are actually driving. These measures are based on results from breath tests and oral fluid samples collected using established protocols. Analyses of these specimens allow for the quantitative determination of alcohol and drug levels. Learning more about alcohol and other drug prevalence among road users other than drivers is new to this NRS. These other road users (ORUs) include pedestrians, bicyclists, scooterists, and those using mobility aids. NHTSA will conduct two studies. Study 1 will focus on drivers but include convenience sampling of ORUs passing by the data collection locations. Study 2 is a pilot test assessing the feasibility of a NRS specific to ORUs. Both will collect breath and oral fluid specimens, demographic information, and self-report questionnaire data on roads across the country. Participation will be voluntary and anonymous. Study protocols will be reviewed by a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-approved IRB. The only personal identifiable information (PII) collected is oral fluid. No DNA analyses will be conducted on the oral fluid specimens. These will only be analyzed for the presence of alcohol and other drugs, and specimens will be destroyed after the study is complete. The results will be reported in aggregate form in research reports. NHTSA anticipates obtaining a Certificate of Confidentiality from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Study 1 / National Roadside Survey. This request is a voluntary, one-time survey. This survey follows the prior NRS methodology but additionally includes recruiting ORUs who are passing by data collection locations. Data collection will occur in 60 primary sampling units (PSUs) using 5 locations at each PSU (300 locations total). There will be a single data collection event at each location. The biological samples will be sent to a toxicology lab for testing of the presence of alcohol and other drugs. Participants’ responses to survey questions on the use of drugs and traffic safety-related behaviors and attitudes will also be analyzed. Study 2 / Pilot Test for Other Road Users. Study 2 examines the viability of a stand-alone roadside survey focused solely on ORUs. This effort uses 20 new data collection locations, inclusive of 4 PSUs with 5 locations each. This effort is to inform NHTSA on the feasibility of such a targeted roadside survey and to determine the level of effort to execute a nationwide study of ORUs. The same procedures as Study 1 will be used. NHTSA will use the information from both studies to produce technical reports presenting the findings. The technical reports will provide only aggregate (summary) statistics and tables; no PII will be retained or reported. The Study 1 technical report is for audiences interested in traffic safety. The information from Study 2 will also be used by NHTSA in consideration of research on ORUs.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 23 USC 403 Name of Law: Highway safety research and development
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 91884	11/20/2024
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	90 FR 45102	09/18/2025
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 2

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
NRS Informed Consent and Respondent Questions - Drivers and Motorcyclists	NHTSA 1763, NHTSA 1762	Respondent Questions - Drivers and Motorcyclists ,   Informed Consent
NRS Informed Consent and Respondent Questions - Other Road Users	NHTSA 1762, NHTSA 1764	Respondent Questions - Other Road Users ,   Informed Consent

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	3,373	0	0	3,373	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	531	0	0	531	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: The collection of this information is associated with a new project.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $2,607,371

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 09/22/2025

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