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Subaru Applauds Indiana Safety Belt Law

17 March 1998

Subaru Applauds Indiana Safety Belt Law

    CHERRY HILL, N.J., March 17 -- George T. Muller, President
and COO of Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) commends the Indiana State
Legislature and Governor O'Bannon for becoming the first state to enact a
standard enforcement safety belt law this year.
    "As a major auto manufacturer in the state, we are proud that Indiana has
become a model for other states working to upgrade seat belt laws which will
save lives on our nation's roadways," said George T. Muller, President and COO
of Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA).  "Standard enforcement seat belt laws save
lives, injuries and dollars.  But most importantly, standard enforcement
protects children," he continued.
    Research shows that getting adults to buckle up is the most effective way
to get children to buckle up.  The data also reveal that if the driver is
buckled, 95 percent of the time, children in that vehicle are also buckled.
Conversely, when the driver is unrestrained, 70 percent of the time
children are also unrestrained.
    According to the National Safety Council, if all states were to adopt
standard enforcement safety belt laws, each year there would be 1,700 fewer
lives lost, 30,000 injuries prevented and $2.8 billion in crash-related costs
saved nationally.
    Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy
Industries Ltd. of Japan.  Headquartered near Philadelphia, the company
markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a
network of nearly 610 franchised dealers across the United States.  All Legacy
models sold in the U.S., including the Outback, are produced at the company's
manufacturing plant, Subaru-Isuzu Automotive, Inc., near Lafayette, Indiana
that employs more than 3,000 full-time associates.

SOURCE  Subaru of America, Inc.