Shell Campaign Warns About Driver Distractions

    HOUSTON, Sept. 5 Car crashes are the number one killer of
teenagers in the United States.  Although 16- to 19-year-olds make up only 5
percent of all licensed drivers, they are involved in 15 percent of all motor
vehicle collisions.

    Such staggering statistics could be attributed to factors such as
inexperience and unnecessary risk-taking.  However, everyday activities like
adjusting the radio or air conditioner, using a cell phone while driving or
even looking at billboards or roadside construction can just as easily lead to
a fatal collision.

    When it comes to driving distractions, everyone is at risk.  The National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that driving distractions are
a contributing factor in one in four motor vehicle collisions, representing
more than one-and-a-half million crashes a year or more than 4,300 crashes a
day.

    Shell's newest release in the Count on Shell driving safety campaign
addresses these potentially deadly activities that too often pull a driver's
attention away from the road.  The latest installment of Shell's public
service campaign is titled "Deadly Distractions" and will run the entire month
of September.

    Shell's "Deadly Distractions" safe driving message is carried through the
distribution of 11 million safety information booklets, printed in English and
Spanish, print advertisements and a new television commercial featuring the
directing talents of actress, dancer and choreographer Debbie Allen.  The
commercial depicts a teen driver distracted by food, music and his passengers.
In an instant, the young driver narrowly misses what could be a life-
threatening collision.

    "Throughout the history of this campaign, Shell has made a difference in
the lives of millions of Americans with easy-to-remember information contained
in our free booklets and national television commercials," said Shell's
Manager of Corporate Communications Dorothy Beeler.
    "We hope this latest 'Deadly Distractions' release will heighten awareness
of some of the avoidable distractions that unnecessarily are claiming the
lives of our nation's young people."

    Although driving with friends is common, a study by the American Medical
Association indicates that it is the riskiest distraction for teen drivers.
Compared to drivers of the same age without passengers, the relative risk of
driver death is 39 percent higher for 16-year-old drivers with one passenger
and 86 percent higher for those with two passengers.

    As the public becomes more aware of driving distractions, the issue is
beginning to receive attention on Capitol Hill.  In May, the Highways and
Transit Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
held hearings to heighten awareness of cell phones and other driving
distractions.  According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 42
states have proposed laws restricting the use of cell phones and other
technology in motor vehicles.

    Written in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the Federal Highway
Administration and the National Safety Council, Shell's safe driving booklet
contains tips for avoiding driver distractions.  Some tips include:

    * Take advantage of normal traffic stops to adjust the radio or climate
      controls.

    * When the phone rings, let it ring!  It's better to use your phone's
      voicemail or even miss a call than to put yourself, your passengers or
      others at risk.

    * Avoid arguments and distracting conversations while driving.

    * Never try to pass items from one moving vehicle to another.