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Chrysler Leads Industry in Consumer Automotive Safety Education

30 April 1998

Chrysler Leads Industry in Consumer Automotive Safety Education

    WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Raising the bar on consumer
automotive safety education, Chrysler Corporation Chief Executive
Officer Robert J. Eaton announced today the addition of a campaign against red
light running to the company's safety education initiatives.
    Eaton announced Chrysler's commitment during the launch of the second
phase of Red Light Running, a national public education campaign designed
to reduce the running of red lights.  Chrysler is partnering in the
campaign with the American Trauma Society (ATS) and the Federal Highway
Administration (FHA).
    "Consumer safety education is an integral part of Chrysler's corporate
culture," said Eaton.  "We believe it's our responsibility as a leading
auto maker to not only equip our vehicles with the best safety devices,
but also equip our customers with valuable information to encourage safe
driving."
    "The number of deaths caused by running red lights is staggering.  In
1996, more than 8,100 people were killed in intersection crashes.  By
joining this campaign, Chrysler aims to encourage communities all over the
country to educate drivers that red light running is a serious issue, and it
is as socially unacceptable as drunk driving," said Eaton.
    "We know from experience that consumer education programs work," continued
Eaton.  "Last year, Chrysler reached more than 30 million school children with
a life-saving message through a program called 'The Back Is Where It's At.'"
    Chrysler has committed tens of millions of dollars to safety education
programs like Red Light Running, and has initiated a number of national
safety education campaigns including Neon Drunk Driving Simulator, an
interactive program which allows participants to experience firsthand the
dangers of drunken driving without endangering lives, The Back Is Where
Its At, which emphasizes that the back seat is the safest place for
children to ride in a motor vehicle, and Do The Buckle, a nationwide consumer
initiative designed to communicate the importance of wearing seat belts.
    "There's a shared responsibility for traveling safely in motor vehicles;
stopping for red lights, wearing a seat belt, and buckling children in the
back seat are among the most important proactive measures a driver, parent, or
passenger can take to preserve their life and the lives of others," said
Eaton.
    A long-time safety advocate, Chrysler has pioneered numerous automotive
safety innovations including air bag restraint systems and integrated
child safety seats.

SOURCE  Chrysler Corporation