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Mitsubishi Motors Helps Minority Communities Buckle Up

29 June 2000

Community Education Partnership Enhanced By Recent U.S. Department of Transportation Announcement

                 

    CYPRESS, Calif. - The lack of seat belt use among African-Americans paints a 
grim picture, especially for our youth -- motor vehicle crashes are the leading 
cause of death of youth through the age of 14, and the second leading killer of 
young black adults ages 15-24.  To help combat this deadly situation, U.S. 
Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater recently announced the formation of a 
"blue ribbon" panel to identify strategies to increase seat belt use within the 
minority community.

    While the Blue Ribbon Panel to Increase Seat Belt Use Among
African-Americans will make its report this October, one effort already taking
action is the "Why Can't We All Buckle Up?" seat belt safety campaign.  This
grassroots effort to educate minorities about seat belt use is funded by
Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc. (MMSA), the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Auto Industry Diversity Efforts (AIDE), the
non-profit arm of African Americans On Wheels magazine.

    The goal of the "Why Can't We All Just Buckle Up?" campaign is to increase
minority seat belt usage from 51 percent to 90 percent, particularly among
teens, as well as reinforce among adults the importance of wearing seat belts
and using car and booster seats with young children.

    Mitsubishi Motors' grant, along with a federal NHTSA grant, helps AIDE
provide outreach support and education on seat belt usage.  NHTSA's own
statistics show that observed seat belt use among African-Americans is
approximately four percent lower than the national average.

    "Mitsubishi Motors is proud to partner with Auto Industry Diversity
Efforts and NHTSA to bring attention to this issue," said Monica Lewis, MMSA
corporate communications manager.  "We are strong proponents of traffic safety
and diversity, and feel it's our duty to help increase awareness of seat belt
usage in minority communities.  Secretary Slater's announcement of the Blue
Ribbon Panel echoes our commitment to this important safety issue and
reinforces our efforts with nationwide community education," she added.

    Year-long campaign outreach will complement NHTSA's "Buckle Up America"
program and African Americans On Wheels efforts through its magazine, website
(automag.com) and Detroit-area radio show ("The Driving Force on Wheels").  A
specially prepared 2001 Mitsubishi Montero luxury sport utility vehicle will
serve as the official safety campaign vehicle.

    The "Why Can't We All Just Buckle Up?" campaign will also be showcased
throughout 2000 at numerous community events across the country, with the
Mitsubishi Montero on display to demonstrate life-saving procedures featured
in the campaign.

    Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc. was established in 1982 by
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Tokyo, and markets a full line of vehicles,
including coupes, convertibles, sedans and sport utility vehicles.