Traffic Safety Hits a Home Run With Brewers; Miller Park to Assist With Efforts to Increase Safety Belt Use

MILWAUKEE, May 27, 2004 -- The Milwaukee Brewers and Miller Park are hoping to help make it a record-breaking season in Wisconsin this year. Record-breaking for safety belt use that is.

The Brewers are teaming up with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to boost safety belt use above the 70% level achieved in 2003.

Starting Tuesday May 25th and leading up to Memorial Day, the stadium video board will run the Buckle Up or Pay the Price public service announcement reminding fans to buckle up. And at tonight's game -- "saved by the belt" survivors, Don and Jean Waison will be recognized with a special welcome from the club and enjoy the game compliments of Miller Brewing Company. Brewers fans should remember to buckle up as law enforcement officers increase enforcement efforts during the popular Memorial Day travel time.

"We find sporting events to be an ideal venue for traffic safety messages," Said David Collins, Superintendent of the Wisconsin State Patrol. The core fan base for sports is young men, and this is the group consistently least likely to buckle up".

The partnership developed through an organization called TEAM Coalition whose supporters include both Major League Baseball and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. TEAM is an alliance of professional sports, entertainment facilities, concessionaires, the beer industry, broadcasters, governmental traffic safety experts, and others working together to promote responsible drinking and positive fan behavior at sports and entertainment facilities.

TEAM executive director Jill Pepper said, "The Brewers are a great example of a professional sports organization that prioritizes the safety and enjoyment of their fans' experience at the ballpark through programs and policies that encourage responsible behavior. The Buckle Up or Pay the Price message is a perfect compliment."

A two-week national safety belt mobilization starts May 24th and continues through June 6th. More than 200 Wisconsin law enforcement agencies are making safety belt enforcement a priority in an effort to increase safety belt use.

TEAM's membership includes Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Football League, National Hockey League, ARAMARK, Beer Institute, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Miller Brewing Company, Coors Brewing Company, National Association of Broadcasters, International Association of Assembly Managers, ESPN/ABC Sports, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For more information on the TEAM Coalition please log on to www.teamcoalition.org