Spokesperson Availability: SUVs Under Attack - Especially in California

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5, 2006 -- The following is being issued by SUVOA:

  What:  A California law that took effect Jan. 1 will limit the size,
         performance, safety, and towing/hauling capacity of SUVs, pickups,
         vans and minivans known as "light trucks."  Also, contrary to
         recent reports, SUVs have better safety record than passenger cars.

  Who:   SUVOA (Standing up for SUV, Pickup, and Van Owners of America) --
         a non-profit education group supporting the rights of millions of
         Americans who own "light trucks" -- is calling on Californians to
         contact their elected officials to repeal the state law that will
         virtually wipe out light trucks as we know them today.

         The California law (AB 1493), designed to reduce the threat of
         global warming by mandating technologically-infeasible fuel economy
         increases, will leave Californians with mostly smaller, less safe,
         less useful light trucks that will cost several thousand dollars
         more and do virtually nothing to affect global climate change.

         SUVOA spokespeople available to discuss the above issues and why
         most of what people think about SUVs is wrong.

  Consider the facts:

  SAFETY
  * Size Matters in Safety:  Numerous reports from respected, independent
    groups -- from the National Highway Traffic Administration to the
    National Academy of Sciences to the Insurance Institute of Highway
    Safety -- demonstrate that downsizing vehicles to save fuel results in
    more death and injury.  Since fuel economy rules were first implemented
    in the mid-1970s, some 50,000 Americans have died due to vehicle
    downsizing.

  * "The only way to cut [carbon dioxide] emissions is through a drastic
    increase in fuel economy -- which in the past has led to smaller,
    lighter and less-safe vehicles," U.S. EPA.

  * According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) the
    vehicle type with the lowest fatality rate is the SUV (every year but 3
    since 1992).

  EMISSIONS
  * Most new SUVs, pickups, vans and minivans already meet the same tailpipe
    pollution standards as passenger cars and by late next year all light
    trucks (under 8500 lbs.) will meet these strict pollution standards.

  FUEL ECONOMY
  * Light trucks are 50% more fuel-efficient than they were in the 1970s.

  * Measured on a "miles per gallon per-person" basis when light trucks have
    several passengers they can be as efficient or even more efficient than
    smaller cars carrying one or two passengers.