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DaimlerChrysler Launches MADD 20th Anniversary Tour

9 February 2000

DaimlerChrysler Launches MADD 20th Anniversary National Neon Drunk Driving Simulator Tour

    DALLAS, Feb. 9 -- Dallas area youth and Mothers Against Drunk
Driving (MADD) National Board members will experience the sobering effects of
the Neon Drunk Driving Simulator as DaimlerChrysler kicks off the 2000
Simulator tour honoring MADD's 20th anniversary.
    The nationally-known safety program allows high school students to
experience firsthand the dangers of "driving drunk" without taking a sip of
alcohol.  The Simulator tour features a fleet of specially equipped
Dodge/Plymouth Neons that can be "programmed" with the driver's weight and a
hypothetical number of drinks.  As a result, steering and braking responses
are delayed -- producing an effect similar to the slowed mental and physical
responses of a driver under the influence of alcohol.  With these impairments,
the driver attempts to negotiate an obstacle course -- without hitting the
orange pylons or the pedestrian figures that "pop up" along the way.
    The specially equipped Neons will visit more than 250 schools across
America and help educate teens about the dangers of underage drinking and
impaired driving.  At each school, students will create their own Victim
Tribute Panel to local victims of impaired and drunk driving.  The panels will
form a "Wall of Remembrance" and will be presented at the MADD National Youth
Summit to Prevent Underage Drinking 2000 in Washington, DC in October.

    WHAT:     DaimlerChrysler and MADD kick-off the 2000 Neon Drunk Driving
              Simulator tour

    WHEN:     Friday, Feb. 11, 9:15 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

    WHERE:    Highland Park High School, 4220 Emerson (parking lot)

    WHO:      -- A.C. (Bud) Liebler, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing
                 for Dodge and Chrysler/Plymouth/Jeep brands, DaimlerChrysler
              -- Millie I. Webb, MADD National President

    WHY:      Impaired driving is still a major problem among American youth.
              Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for young
              people in the U.S. and 28 percent of young drivers involved in
              fatal crashes in 1998 had been drinking (NHTSA, 1999).  Underage
              drinking is the No. 1 drug problem among American youth.

    VISUALS:  -- Student and MADD National Board members maneuvering vehicles
                 through obstacle course
              -- DaimlerChrysler executives and MADD National Board members
                 cutting anniversary cake, and unveiling first Victim Tribute
                 Panel
              -- Specially equipped and decaled Neon and tour trailer

    CONTACT:  Sheila Gruber McLean of DaimlerChrysler, 248-512-2986 or
              Kimberly Shults of Golin-Harris, 312-729-4286, or Tresa Hardt of
              MADD, 214-744-6233, ext. 245.