World Health Day Will Focus on Traffic Safety With AAA Clubs Leading the Way

AURORA, Ill., April 2 -- Traffic deaths and injuries constitute a major public health threat, especially to young people. To focus attention on the problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) partnered with AAA and has designated "Safe Roads" as the theme for World Health Day 2004, to be celebrated Wednesday, April 7.

The AAA federation, which has a 102-year tradition of proactive commitment to promoting traffic safety, is supporting the WHO with an intense news media campaign to focus public attention on the need to increase efforts to make the nation's roads safer.

AAA Chicago will participate in the nationwide effort with employees wearing green ribbons to signify the importance of buckling up everyone in the vehicle whenever you drive. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has proclaimed April 7, 2004 as World Health Day in Illinois and encourages all citizens to join in observing the importance of road safety - the theme for this year.

"Progress has been made in recent years in reducing the number of traffic fatalities per mile traveled, but vehicle crashes are still one of the top 10 causes of death in America and the number-one killer of children and young adults," said Steve Bernth, president and COO of AAA Chicago.

Bernth noted that AAA is calling for a new approach in attacking the problem of vehicle crashes. He said stakeholders should use the same kind of scientific strategy that is used to try to eliminate infectious diseases.

"When dealing with infectious disease, the medical community utilizes a three-prong focus on the patient, the infection and the environment," said Bernth. "For traffic crash prevention, this translates into a focus on the driver, the vehicle and the roadway."

Bernth called on three groups of stakeholders to increase their commitment to achieving greater traffic safety:

   -- Drivers and those who educate them or represent them, such as parents,
      teachers, lawmakers and organizations like AAA must intensify their
      efforts to make everyone wear a safety belt when in a vehicle.

   -- Auto companies and auto equipment manufacturers should set new goals
      for achieving the highest possible safety ratings for the vehicles
      they design and build.

   -- Engineers and construction experts who design, build and maintain the
      highway infrastructure; law enforcement officials who must be ever
      more vigilant in protecting us against drunk drivers and other traffic
      law violators, and emergency workers who are first to respond to a
      serious vehicle crash and can often save lives by taking quick,
      effective action.

"I strongly believe this is one epidemic we can cure," said Bernth. "AAA Chicago is committed to working diligently in concert with citizens, businesses, government agencies and community organizations in our service area to improve world health through 'Safe Roads.'"

AAA Chicago offers automotive, travel, insurance and financial services. It is part of The Auto Club Group (ACG), the largest affiliation of AAA clubs in the Midwest, with 4.1 million members in eight states. ACG clubs belong to the national AAA federation, a not-for-profit organization, with more than 45 million members in the United States and Canada.

                      FACTS ABOUT DRIVING IN AMERICA

  Deaths and Injuries:

   -- Almost 43,000 Americans are killed each year in traffic crashes and
      3 million are injured - that's 117 deaths and more than 8,000 injuries
      each day.
   -- Traffic crashes kill more Americans each year than influenza or guns.
   -- Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for American children
      of every age from 6 to 14 years.

  The Alcohol Factor:

   -- In 2002, vehicle crashes nationwide in which alcohol was a factor
      killed 17,419 people and injured 258,000.
   -- Alcohol involvement is the single greatest factor in motor vehicle
      deaths and injuries - in Illinois in 2002 more than 500 traffic
      fatalities involved alcohol.
   -- Fatally injured drivers who had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08%
      or more were 10 times more likely to have a prior conviction for
      driving under the influence of alcohol.
   -- Most people consuming five ounces of 45-percent whiskey, on an empty
      stomach, in one hour will have a BAC level of at least 0.10%, which
      would make them legally  under the influence in all states.
   -- For a person whose BAC reaches 0.10% then stops drinking, it can take
      almost three hours for the BAC to drop below the legal limit.
   -- More than half of all drivers arrested for driving while intoxicated
      are repeat offenders.

  Teenagers:

   -- Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of teen deaths in America.
   -- The risk of crashes for teenage drivers increases at night, and the
      risk doubles if even one passenger is in the car. Safety experts
      estimate that enactment of passenger restrictions for teenage drivers
      could save 345 lives per year nationwide.
   -- For drivers ages 16 and 17, driving alone, a positive BAC was involved
      in 12% of fatal crashes; speeding in 24% and driver error in 76%.

  Seniors:

   -- More than 1 million licensed drivers age 65 or older were on America's
      roads in 2002 - up 36 percent from 1992.
   -- Seniors age 70 and older make up 12% of all vehicle-occupant
      fatalities.

  Children:

   -- A study in 2002 found that from 1994 to 1998, approximately 5,500
      motor vehicle passengers age 12 and under were killed in the United
      States and 660,000 were injured.
   -- Most children riding in child safety seats are improperly restrained.
   -- Parents often do not realize they need to alter the type of child
      safety seat as children grow. Less than 20% of children ages 4 to 8
      are using a booster seat.

  Motorcycles:

   -- In 2002, motorcycles involved in fatal crashes nationwide increased
      for the fifth consecutive year to 3,339.
   -- Motorcycles make up less than 2% of all registered vehicles and less
      than 0.1% of vehicle miles traveled, but motorcyclists account for 7%
      of all traffic fatalities.
   -- Wearing a helmet reduces a motorcyclist's risk of death by 29% and the
      risk of fatal head injury by 40%.

  Enforcement:

   -- Repeat offender laws are underutilized and do not reduce recidivism
      among drivers. Two-thirds of drivers with suspended licenses continue
      to drive.
   -- Almost 10% of drivers on the roads in Michigan are estimated to be
      driving with some kind of license violation.

Sources for these facts include AAA Traffic Safety Foundation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

and Mothers Against Drunk Driving.