NHTSA Launches Campaign to Promote Seat Belt Use Among Hispanics

    LOS ANGELES, May 17 Determined to reduce the growing
number of Hispanics who die in car crashes each year, the U.S. Department of
Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on May
21 will launch a nationwide campaign to promote the use of seat belts.
    The campaign will kick off in Los Angeles, home of the largest Hispanic
community in the country, on Monday, May 21, 2001 at the California Hospital
Medical Center.
    "Cuida tu vida. Ponte el cinturon" or "Take Care of Your Life. Buckle Up"
is the core message of the campaign that has gathered the support of the
Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA), National
Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA) and the corporate partnership of Pep Boys,
all of which will actively participate in the campaign.
    "This campaign continues our efforts to reach Hispanic people, and given
the alarming number of car crash victims within this community, we feel it is
necessary that we step up our efforts to get out the message to Buckle Up,"
U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said.  "Safety is the top
transportation priority of the Bush Administration, and this campaign
underscores the President's commitment to safety for all."
    The safety challenge is important for the nation's growing 35.3 million
Hispanic population.  Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for
Hispanics through the age of 24, and the second leading cause of death for
Hispanics between the ages of 25-44.  Additionally, Hispanics have a
significantly higher risk of dying in a car crash than non-Hispanic whites,
and they are less likely to wear seat belts.  Recent studies showed that the
seat belt use rate for Hispanics is 63 percent, compared to the rate for all
Americans, 71 percent.
    With the support of the campaign's partners, NHTSA expects to get the
message to buckle up to millions of Hispanics across the nation.  HAPCOA
officers will distribute bilingual campaign material on the streets and to
local community organizations.  Pep Boys will display brochures at front
counters in their stores nationwide and post "Buckle Up, America" decals on
their stores' window fronts.  Around the country, NHMA doctors will counsel
injury victims and distribute campaign material to their patients, hoping to
see fewer of them return as car crash victims.
    To further reinforce the buckle-up message, NHTSA will release public
service radio messages in Rap, Tropical and Cumbia versions to the 10 largest
Hispanic markets.
    "As Hispanics, we must take an active stance in encouraging our community
to use seat belts.  That's what makes this campaign unique.  It's Hispanics
helping other Hispanics.  We must all partner up on this effort," HAPCOA
Executive Director Jess Quintero said.

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