National Conference Focused on Highway Safety
30 March 2000
National Conference Focused on Highway Safety PICKERINGTON, Ohio--Almost 1,700 people turned out for the Lifesavers 2000 National Conference on Highway Safety Priorities to discuss how to make traveling on the nation's roads safer, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports. Held in Atlanta March 12-14, the annual conference brought together experts from around the nation to discuss issues ranging from seat-belt use and drunk driving to motorcyclist licensing and education. The conference was sponsored by a variety of companies and associations concerned with highway safety. U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater told the conferees that highway safety is his department's top priority. He noted President Clinton asked for $1.7 billion for traffic safety programs in his Fiscal Year 2001 budget request, which represents a 21 percent increase over funding for the current fiscal year. Slater also said he believes intelligent transportation systems, which include cars with collision-avoidance computer systems, will play an important role in improving highway safety in the future. Sean Maher, the AMA's legislative affairs specialist, was a panelist for a workshop that focused on partnerships, opportunities and challenges for improving motorcycling safety. Maher outlined the National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety, which is a new blueprint for future motorcycling safety efforts. The American Motorcyclist Association is a 250,000-member non-profit organization. Established in 1924, the Association's purpose is to pursue, protect and promote the interests of motorcyclists, while serving the needs of its members. For more information, visit the AMA website at www.AMADirectlink.com. Contact: Bill Kresnak Phone: (614) 856-1900
