AAA Strollerthon Walkers Earn Chance To Win iPod(R) Plus $100 Worth of Downloads

DEARBORN, Mich., July 6 -- On July 15, several hundred metro area walkers will provide donations to benefit low-income families in Michigan who are in need of child safety seats. The 3rd Annual AAA Strollerthon, a 3K walk for child passenger safety, starts at 9 a.m. at the Detroit Zoo. This year there is an added incentive: Eligible participants can enter a drawing to win one of seven grand prizes* -- iPod(R) video/music players that can hold 7,500 songs, plus $100 in downloads in the form of a gift certificate.

Drawing entries will be made available in the programming area at the grassy knoll inside the zoo.

AAA employees, members and the public will walk along a marked 3K route inside the Detroit Zoo. The donations will be directed to charity partner Michigan SAFE KIDS and used to purchase and distribute child safety seats. Charitable contributions will also be accepted from those who wish to donate funds without active participation, although registration is required to obtain zoo entry.

"There is a great need for this public service," said Linda M. Woolwine, president and COO of AAA Michigan. "We're grateful for the many contributions made by our program and media partners to help provide more safety and security to those who need it most."

State law mandates that children up to the age of 4 must be properly restrained in a child safety seat no matter where they are seated in the vehicle, but for many Michigan families this important safety precaution is financially out of reach.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 200,000 families in Michigan live below the poverty level. These low-income families have a lower usage rate of child passenger restraint systems, in part because they lack access to affordable child safety seats. The ultimate cost is death and injury rates many times higher than for the general population.

A 1998 study commissioned by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) stated that Hispanic children, ages 5 to 12, are 72 percent more likely to be killed in a crash than non-Hispanic children. African-American children in the same age range have a motor vehicle occupant death rate that is nearly three times that of white children.

In addition to the question of affordability, the proper installation and use of child safety seats -- including booster seats for older children -- continues to be a challenge. A 2002 study of booster seat use in six states found:

  *  37 percent of children aged 4-8 were using booster seats,
  *  46 percent were inappropriately using adult seatbelts, and
  *  17 percent were riding completely unrestrained.

For this reason, the 2006 AAA Strollerthon will also help build awareness of the important differences between child safety seats and booster seats, and the appropriate use of those seats. To participate in this year's AAA Strollerthon or to donate to this worthwhile cause, please visit: http://www.aaa.com/safety .

Corporate sponsors for the 2006 AAA Strollerthon include: Michigan SAFE KIDS, Hertz, Sodexho, Dasani, Channel 955, 100.3 WNIC, MIX 92.3 and WJBK - Fox 2 Detroit.

* No purchase necessary to win. A purchase will not improve an individual's chances of winning this entry. Must be at least 18 years old to enter. Open to AAA members and non-members residing in Michigan and Wisconsin. AAA employees and their families are not eligible to participate. Seven (7) grand prizes will be awarded. The Grand Prize is an Apple iPod(R) Video 30GB and a $100 certificate to the Apple iTunes website. Approximate verifiable retail value of each first prize: $399. Entry deadline is September 30, 2006. Drawing will be held on or about October 2, 2006 at the Auto Club Marketing Office, 1 Auto Club Drive, Dearborn, MI 48126. Winner need not be present at drawing. Restrictions apply. No cash value.

Apple is not a participant or sponsor of this promotion.