New Auto Safety Devices Make Back-to-School Carpools a Smooth Ride for Everyone

CITY OF COMMERCE, Calif.--Aug. 1, 20038, 2003--

Back-Up Video System Among Al & Ed's Autosound's Most Desired Back-to-School Auto Safety Products

Following Labor Day weekend, traditional lighter summer traffic conditions come to an end as returning vacationers head back to work, hitting the roads as commuters, and as school buses reappear and wind their way through Southern California neighborhoods.

To help parents safely navigate the never-ending back-to-school driving challenges, Al & Ed's Autosound, California's largest mobile electronics and communications specialists, wants every carpooling parent who is about to get behind the wheel, to know that new advanced auto safety technologies are here to help relieve the daily stress of the pending drive.

Having recently polled its 30 Southern California store locations for this season's most desired back-to-school auto safety products for carpooling parents, Al & Ed's has determined that this season's most desired auto safety device is the MobilWorks rear-view mirror observation safety system, helping to curtail the more than 300,000 annual reversing accidents each year. Other desired products to ease the back-to-school driving challenges are the Pioneer voice guided car navigation, to help parents find every house on their route; and the MobilWorks LCD TV/DVD player with a wireless headset and XM satellite radio, to help keep the kids entertained and from distracting the driver while they drive.

The back-to-school auto safety devices were determined based on their safety attributes, as well as their popularity with recent customer requests and product satisfaction.

"Parents and students can start the school year off right by putting driving safety at the top of their back-to-school lists," said John Haynes, Al & Ed's Autosound's Mobile Electronics Specialist. "These new technologically advanced safety devices are excellent choices for parents to consider when thinking about a safe back-to-school commuting year.

"With after-school activities, play dates and study sessions, parents will soon find themselves back in the mode of shuffling their children to a variety of destinations on a daily basis. When carpooling kids and their friends, there tends to be a lot of hustle and bustle, inside and outside of the car, that has the potential to distract the driver. Added to the mix, is the rise in popularity of larger vehicles and SUVs, and the dangers of backing up into unseen objects or children increases greatly," continued Haynes. "We believe very strongly that vehicle safety is important, with a key ingredient being keeping the kids distracted through entertainment."

About Al & Ed's Autosound

Founded in 1954, Al & Ed's Autosound has grown to become the largest mobile electronics and communications specialist with more than 30 Southern California stores. As a recognized leader in the mobile electronics industry, Al & Ed's Autosound has been an instrumental partner in the pioneering of innovations such as FM radio for cars, cassette players for cars and the first car alarms, and is viewed within the mobile electronics industry as a barometer for the industry in Southern California.