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New Report Grades States on Highway Safety Laws


advocates

Recent NHTSA Data Show 7.1 Percent Increase in Crash Deaths in 2012

WHAT:

NEWS CONFERENCE – Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates) will release its tenth annual report card grading all 50 states and the District of Columbia on their performance in adopting 15 basic highway safety laws on adult and child occupant protection, impaired and distracted driving, and teen driving. Recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show a dramatic reversal of previous declines in crash deaths, projecting a 7.1 percent increase of deaths in the first 9 months of 2012 compared to the first 9 months of 2011.




The 2013 Roadmap of State Highway Safety Laws report will feature the best and worst performing states, states making the most and least progress over the past year, dangerous loopholes in each state that contribute to preventable death and injury, and state-specific data on traffic deaths, injuries and related economic losses.  The report focuses on the new incentive grant programs created under the new Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, MAP-21 (Pub. L. 112-141) to encourage state enactment of teen driver licensing laws, all-offender ignition interlock laws, distracted driving laws and occupant protection programs.



WHEN:

Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at 10 a.m. EST



WHERE:

National Press Club, Zenger Room, 529 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC



WHO:

Jacqueline S. Gillan, President, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety



Dr. Georges Benjamin, Executive Director, American Public Health Association



Sherry Chapman, Coventry, CT, Chapman's 19-year-old son Ryan was killed in December 2002 when the car in which he was riding as a passenger crashed. Chapman has become a tireless advocate for teen driving safety and is co-founder and president of Mourning Parents Act, Inc. (!MPACT).



Major Mark Savage, Colorado State Patrol, and President, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)



Jan Withers, President, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)


LIVE WEBCAST of the news conference at Highway Safety Laws


BACKGROUND: Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety is a coalition of consumer, health, and safety organizations and insurance agents and companies that work together to advance state and federal highway and vehicle safety laws, programs and policies.  The 2013 Roadmap to State Highway Safety Laws will be available on January 15, 2013, 9 a.m. EST at Safe Roads.