National Safety Council News Release, Dec. 4, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE					
December 4, 2001					
Contact: Joe Larkin
630-775-2303
Larkinj@nsc.org

National Safety Council's Launches New Web Pages on *Driver Safety* and *Falls in the Home* 

Itasca, IL -- Wide-ranging information on *Driver Safety* and *Falls in the Home* is now available on the National Safety Council (NSC)'s website, <http://www.nsc.org>.  These topics are addressed in the NSC's Safety Agenda for the Nation as critical areas where Americans are dying or being injured in record numbers.  

*The Safety Agenda for the Nation was issued in May 2000,* said NSC President Alan C. McMillan, *to call the nation*s attention to the seriousness of our injury problems, and to propose effective actions to target the largest causes of unintentional injuries and deaths.*  

On these lively, interactive pages, the NSC offers educational information and resources to help drivers and homeowners prevent two of the leading causes of death and injury in America: highway crashes and falls in the home. Journalists will find a wealth of useful information on these pages. 

On the *Driver Safety* page, website visitors will find driving safety tips, resources, games and products to keep their families safe on the road.  Also included are articles on cell phone safety, multitasking, graduated licensing, and statistics on motor vehicle crashes and their related costs to the nation. The site also provides links to the NSC*s highly successful Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign, the National Seat Belt Coalition, and Fact Sheets on Auto and School Bus Safety along with links to pertinent sites such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and others.  

 *The NSC*s Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign has been very successful in changing the behavior of American drivers. We now have 73 percent compliance with seat belt laws, and yet, 43,501 Americans lost their lives on our nation*s highways and 2.3 million suffered disabling injuries last year. This is unacceptable,* said Chuck Hurley, Vice President of the NSC*s Transportation Safety Group. 

On the *Falls in the Home* page, website visitors will find information on falls, including articles on osteoporosis, elderly falls, tips on caring for aging parents, designing safe homes, and more.  Also included are fact sheets for keeping kids safe from falls, preventing slips and falls in the home and a report on estimating the costs of falls in the home. Links are provided to other useful sites such as the Centers for Disease Control, the Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging and others.

Bud Ward, Vice President of the NSC*s Home and Community Safety and Health Group, said, *Falls in the home and community are an enormous and largely unknown problem that needs to be brought to public awareness. In 2000, falls caused or led to 15,400 deaths. All age groups are vulnerable, but older adults are most at risk.* 

These new informational pages are part of a project designed to help provide solutions to the nation*s most critical safety and health concerns. Other pertinent pages on the NSC website include *Emergencies and Disasters,* *Safety Through Design,* and *Home and Community.* Visit the Council*s website often to see the latest updates and new issue pages as they are added. 

The National Safety Council is a not-for-profit, nongovernmental, international public service organization chartered by the U.S. Congress and dedicated to protecting life and promoting health. NSC's 37,500-plus member locations include businesses, labor organizations, schools, public agencies, private groups and individuals. Founded in 1913, NSC's scope includes highway, community and recreational safety, as well as occupational and environmental health. 
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