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As Traffic Deaths Hit 13-Year High and Congress to Make Life-Death Decisions on Highway Bill

    Crash Survivors to Urge Long-Awaited Action on Senate-Passed Bill
 to Curb Deadly Rollover Crashes, Occupant Ejections, Vehicle Roof Crush,
             and Violent Mismatch of SUVs and Cars in Crashes

        Safety Advocates to Unveil 'Crash Tax' Burden on Americans
        From Rising Tide of Road Deaths and Provide State-by-State
                   Data on Vehicle Rollover Fatalities

  WHAT:    NEWS CONFERENCE where nationally renowned pollster Lou Harris
           will release the findings of a new Harris Poll gauging American
           public opinion on major auto safety issues, and crash
           survivors and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
           (http://www.saferoads.org/) will urge Congress to take long-
           awaited action to stem the rising tide of highway deaths by
           enacting a Senate-passed bill with 10 vital safety features to
           reduce deadly rollover crashes, occupant ejection, vehicle roof
           crush, the violent mismatch of crashes between SUVs and cars, and
           other safety remedies.

           Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 cause of death of Americans ages
           1 to 34.  Traffic fatalities hit a 13-year high in 2003.  Deaths
           involving vehicle rollover crashes also are on the rise.
           Advocates will provide national and state data on total traffic
           deaths and rollover crash deaths, and will unveil the "Crash Tax"
           burden on citizens resulting from road deaths and injuries.

           Vehicle safety provisions in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and
           Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA) passed the U.S.
           Senate in February, but were not included in the House
           bill.  House and Senate conferees are meeting to work out the
           differences in this multi-year, multi-billion dollar
           transportation bill.  A decision may come before Congress goes on
           summer recess.

  WHEN:    Monday, July 12, 2004 at 10:00 a.m. EDT

  WHERE:   National Press Club (Holeman Lounge), 529 14th Street, N.W.,
           Washington, D.C.

  WHO:     LOU HARRIS, national pollster

           JUDITH LEE STONE, President, Advocates for Highway and Auto
           Safety

           DENA AND PATRICK PARKER, Childress, TX.  On August 29, 2001,
           Patrick Parker, then age 37, became a quadriplegic when his 2001
           pickup truck crashed, rolled over and the roof caved in.

           MIRIAM CINTRON, West Palm Beach, FL.  On November 7, 1997, her
           19-year-old daughter Angie was killed near Orlando when her SUV
           rolled over and the roof crushed in.

           CARRIE THORNTON, age 20, Marietta, GA. On March 28, 2004, four of
           her best friends at the University of Alabama were riding in a
           SUV that rolled over while on spring break in Florida:  Lauren
           Braddy (Raleigh, NC) and Christin Lancaster (Tuscaloosa, AL)
           died; Hannah Jones (Dothan, AL) and Mary McGinness (Lookout Mt.,
           GA) were injured.

           JOAN CLAYBROOK, President, Public Citizen

           ALAN MANESS, Federal Affairs Director & Associate General
           Counsel, State Farm Insurance Companies