Holiday Travel and Safety Story; Late Recall Notices Can Result in Tragedy
IRVINE, Calif.--Dec. 4, 2001--According to recent surveys, this year many Americans are changing their travel plans and now intend to drive rather than fly during the Holidays(1).
It is more important than ever that drivers check their cars for safety before hitting the road. Many people are unaware when their cars have safety recalls mostly because they don't receive the notices until months after they are issued. This can have tragic consequences.
In 1999 alone, there were almost 20 million cars recalled for safety reasons, according to the NHTSA (National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration).
Now consumers don't have to wait to receive a letter from the manufacturer. They can get an e-mail notification generally within one week after a safety recall notice has been issued on their car by simply registering online with "MyGarage," a free public safety service from Autobytel.com(2). Car owners can also visit carsmart.com to see if their vehicle has been issued any past recalls.
Both services are particularly valuable to owners of used vehicles who may be more difficult to reach by the manufacturers.
(1) According to a recent survey conducted by Princeton, NJ-based Opinion Research for Autobytel Inc., in light of recent events, 46% of Americans are now more likely to travel by car than by airplane with the holiday season approaching. According to AAA, 87% of people who travel for the holiday will drive.
(2) According to the same Opinion Research survey, 75% of Americans would find it valuable to be able to check on the Internet at a free Web site to see if a safety recall notice has been issued for their vehicle, rather than wait to be notified through the mail.
We have produced video to help you inform your viewers of this potentially life-threatening situation. The tape includes selected highlights from interviews with the following people:
| -- | Christy Foreman, a young woman who received an e-mail regarding a safety recall on her brakes...months before the letter from the manufacturer arrived; |
| -- | Mark Lee Edwards, managing director of Traffic Safety at AAA, discussing safety recall statistics and why it takes so long for consumers to hear about their recall notices; |
| -- | Mark Lorimer, president and chief executive officer of Autobytel Inc., discussing the features of MyGarage and how it can help consumers make sure their car is safe; |
as well as the following b-roll:
-- images of the winding roads Christy Foreman travels on a daily
basis;
-- Autobytel Inc. corporate headquarters;
-- MyGarage and car buying Web sites.
Should you wish to receive the complete Beta version of this tape right away or require further information for your print publication, in the form of a press release, please call us.
We look forward to hearing from you.