353,000 Children's Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Handbooks to Be Distributed to Schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, S.T.A.R. Unit Participating Schools

LOS ANGELES--Oct. 2, 20031, 2003--Hyundai Motor America:

-- Los Angeles County Sheriff's S.T.A.R. Deputies to teach children traffic safety course at Brooklyn Avenue Elementary

-- "Pedestrian accidents are the second leading cause of death and serious injury to children in California, 62% of all the children involved were Hispanic"

Since 1990, the Hispanic population in the United States has increased by nearly 60 percent. The rapid growth of the Hispanic population is tragically reflected in an increasing proportion of Hispanic deaths and serious injuries resulting from car related accidents. Greater safety belt usage would significantly reduce unintentional death and injury in the Hispanic community and the nation as a whole. In addition, pedestrian accidents and fatalities, particularly in the state of California, affect Latino children in disproportionate numbers.

Educating children and their parents or guardians about pedestrian and traffic safety is one of the most effective and efficient steps to eradicate child pedestrian fatalities. An in-school publication developed through a partnership with the Kid Guardian Foundation, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) School Safe Traffic Zone and La Opinion Newspaper will be distributed today. A total of 353,000 handbooks will reach K-3 students from the Los Angeles Unified School District and S.T.A.R. (Success Through Awareness and Resistance) Unit participating schools and as an insert in the Sunday edition of La Opinion Newspaper reaching more than 100,000 families throughout Los Angeles. The handbook will provide parents and children with written stories on the subject and include lesson ideas for teachers to develop and carry out in the classroom.

"Child safety is important to our families and our schools. Parents and children need useful and helpful information to learn about safety techniques to prevent severe injuries in traffic collisions and during bicycle and pedestrian accidents," said LAUSD Board of Education President Jose Huizar. "This publication serves as an engaging tool for parents and children to develop proactive safety behaviors that ensure LAUSD's students safe arrival to school."

"Children are our 'divino tesoro', our divine treasure", said Board member David Tokofsky. "I hope that everyone will take a moment to slow down and try to be more aware of safety issues effecting our kids in Los Angeles".

"I join Hyundai Motor America, Kid Guardian Foundation and La Opinion in urging all parents and caregivers to study and share the Traffic Safety Handbook material with their children," comments Sheriff Leroy Baca, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, educating children and their parents or caregivers about traffic safety - pedestrian and bicycle safety - is one of the most effective methods to eradicate child pedestrian fatalities. Funding for this program was provided by Hyundai Motor America and a grant from the California State Office of Traffic Safety through Business, Transportation and Housing to LAUSD School Safe Traffic Zone.

To further communicate the traffic safety message among Hispanic consumers, Hyundai Motor America will host traffic safety clinics in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department at schools in the LAUSD and STAR Program recipient schools, as well as at local community events and fairs. During the traffic safety clinics, Hyundai will provide bilingual informational literature and bring the ABCs of Traffic-- "Always Be Careful" to life at Hyundai Safetyville delivering the safety message to Hispanic adults and children.

"As an auto manufacturer, Hyundai Motor America wants to keep families safe when operating motor vehicles and help reduce the alarming statistics among Hispanics related to automobile fatalities," affirms Donna Kane, Hyundai Motor America. In order to help save lives of the parents and children that are dying in car related crashes, and to promote healthy families and communities, Hyundai has created The ABCs of Traffic Safety Campaign to remind drivers, occupants, and pedestrians about proper use of safety belts and child restraints; promote safe driving by commuters particularly in reduced speed school zones; and ensure children have been properly instructed on crossing streets."

About Hyundai's Hispanic Traffic Safety Campaign

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for Hispanic's ages 1-34, and the third leading cause of death for all ages surpassed only by heart disease and cancer. Hispanics are also less likely to wear a seat belt. Nationally, in 1983 the seat belt use rate for all Americans was 14 percent and by 2000 it had increased to 71 percent; however seat belt usage among Hispanics lagged behind at 63 percent.

Historically, the majority of passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes were not wearing safety belts. Research has shown that lap/shoulder belts, when used properly, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate to critical injury by 50 percent. In addition, research on the effectiveness of child safety seats has found them to reduce fatal injury for infants (less than 1 year old) by 71 percent and toddlers (1-4 years old) by 54 percent in passenger cars.

The second leading cause of death and serious injuries to children in California is pedestrian accidents and 62 percent of all child pedestrian fatalities were Hispanic.

Hyundai Motor America's Traffic Safety Campaign focuses on educating consumers on the proper use of safety belts and child restraints, as well traffic laws and pedestrian safety. As the Hispanic population continues to increase, a greater proportion of future crash injuries and fatalities will come from the Hispanic community. The educational program will launch in Los Angeles to reach the nearly 8 million Hispanics and help make an impact and reduce fatalities related to motor vehicle accidents, including pedestrian related incidents.

About Hyundai Motor America

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai cars and sport utility vehicles are sold and serviced by Hyundai Motor America through more than 600 dealers nationwide. For more information about Hyundai Motor America, please visit http://www.hyundaiusa.com. Note: A photo is available at URL: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.102103/bb12