2003 World Traffic Safety Achievement Awards Announced

Mercedes-Benz, Johnson & Johnson, NBC and AAA Safety Foundation Receive Awards

NEW YORK, May 1 -- Dedicated to bringing automobile manufacturers, public and private organizations, and the media together to share information and discuss ways to make vehicles and roadways safer for drivers and pedestrians, the World Traffic Safety Symposium announced the Safety Achievement Awards for 2003 in New York City last week.

The 2003 Symposium, held at the New York International Automobile Show on Friday, April 25th, awards organizations that have made a notable contribution to road, pedestrian and vehicle safety.

                            2003 AWARD WINNERS

   AUTO MANUFACTURER AWARD

   Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
   For Developing PRE-SAFE, a Pre-crash Protective System

PRE-SAFE is a new system that can sense driving maneuvers which can cause an accident and take pre-crash protective measures. The high-tech system is the first of its kind to take preventative measures when it senses that the driver is losing control. The development of PRE-SAFE is based on findings by Mercedes-Benz accident researchers, who concluded that two-thirds of all accidents are preceded by situations indicating a increased risk of an impending crash, e.g. skidding, emergency braking or a sudden evasive maneuver.

Award accepted by: Karen Makris, Department Manager, Product Management E- and S-Class

   MEDIA AWARD

   Dateline NBC
   For Exposing America's Most Deadly Roads

Dateline's 1997 report, 'America's Most Dangerous Roads' provoked such an outcry that when NBC revisited the issue in 2002 they found that important traffic safety changes on roads from Wyoming to South Carolina had been made.

   Award accepted by:  Chris Hansen, Dateline NBC Correspondent

   COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

   Johnson & Johnson
   For Providing Traffic Safety Education and Training to Employees

Johnson & Johnson created the Safe Fleet Program to combat traffic collisions, one of the leading causes of on-the-job fatalities. The program teaches safe driving skills and habits to its employees, and demonstrates how important safe driving is to themselves, their families, and their communities. Since 1995, the program has educated more than 50,000 drivers worldwide and reduced their accident rate by 34%.

   Award accepted by:  Douglas Tambor, Executive Director, Safety and IH, NA

   NOT-FOR-PROFIT-AWARD

   The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
   For Life-saving Traffic Safety Research and Education

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is dedicated to saving lives and reducing injuries by preventing traffic crashes. It is a not-for-profit, publicly supported charitable educational and research organization. Since 1947, the Foundation has funded over 90 research projects designed to discover the causes of traffic crashes.

   Award accepted by: J. Peter Kissinger: Foundation President and CEO

  

The World Traffic Safety Symposium, founded in 1990 was formed to address the growing concern of traffic injuries and fatalities on roadways. Now celebrating its fourteenth year, the Symposium is dedicated to bringing automobile manufacturers, law enforcement officials, public and private organizations, and the media together to share information and discuss innovative ways to make traveling safer for drivers and pedestrians. Each year, the group gathers research and data from around the globe to create a presentation of the most interesting and innovative advancements in traffic safety. Industry experts, journalists, and manufacturers are invited to attend this showcase of the most cutting edge, life-saving safety features available in vehicles today.

The annual presentation of the World Traffic Safety Achievement Awards has become an extremely prestigious event on the road safety calendar.