Autobytel.com Joins Forces With MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) to Deter Underage Drinking and Driving
25 September 2000
Autobytel.com Joins Forces With MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) to Deter Underage Drinking and Driving
Leader in Automotive E-commerce to Webcast MADD National Youth Summit To
Prevent Underage Drinking in Washington, D.C.
IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 25 Autobytel.com , the
global leader in automotive e-commerce, today announced its expanded
involvement with MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). In an effort to
promote awareness and dialogue amongst teens and their families regarding the
issues surrounding underage drinking, Autobytel.com will host an interactive
live webcast of the upcoming "MADD National Youth Summit to Prevent Underage
Drinking." Key events from the Summit will be webcast live from Washington
D.C. through the company website at http://www.autobytel.com/MADD from
September 30 to October 4, 2000, enabling families throughout the country to
participate in the discussions nationwide.
Autobytel.com's association with MADD is ongoing. By sponsoring the "Take
the Key and Win the Car" sweepstakes earlier this year, the company provided
an extra incentive for public participation in MADD's life-saving "The Key"
program, which encourages parents and teens to sign a family covenant to
jointly determine the rules and consequences of underage drinking. Last week,
Robert Jones of Glen Mills, Pennsylvania was chosen in a random drawing as the
sweepstakes winner. Robert and his seventeen-year-old daughter, Cindy, had
visited the Autobytel.com site to sign The Key covenant together and, as such,
had automatically registered to win a new car or cash prize. Robert -- who
has previously purchased three cars through Autobytel.com -- and Cindy were on
hand to receive a $25,000 check at a special awards ceremony held at
Philadelphia's St. Hubert High School on Tuesday, September 19th. The awards
ceremony served to "kick-off" pre-Summit activity and featured speeches from
youth delegates, MADD National Vice President Wendy J. Hamilton and corporate
spokespersons.
According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic and Safety
Administration), alcohol is the nation's number one youth drug problem, and
there are over 10 million underage drinkers in the U.S. today. NHTSA reports
that in 1997, 21 percent of the young drivers involved in fatal crashes had
been drinking. Traffic crashes remain the number one killer of young people.
"As the market leader in online car buying, Autobytel.com feels a natural
sense of responsibility regarding automotive safety issues. We're proud to
support MADD's mission as it relates to the prevention of underage drinking,"
said Mark Lorimer, Autobytel.com's President and CEO. "When 8 young Americans
die every day in an alcohol-related crash, we all need to step up to the plate
and do what we can to educate our nation's youth."
Wendy J. Hamilton, MADD National Vice President adds, "It is through these
turn-key partnerships, such as this one forged between MADD and Autobytel.com,
that we will accomplish our goal to prevent underage drinking and promote safe
and sober driving on America's roads." Internet Wire, the first and largest
Internet-based distributor of direct public relations materials and related
business communications, will also contribute to the event by donating daily
Internet press releases and sound bites from the Youth Summit through its
online wire service at http://www.internetwire.com.
One high school student from each of the 435 congressional districts and
the U.S. territories will gather to work alongside their peers, public policy
officials, health specialists and others, to discuss the issues surrounding
youth alcohol use. Specific topics, including alcohol availability,
enforcement of laws and "binge" drinking among teens will be covered in an
effort to encourage young people to actively participate in developing
solutions that will save lives. The motivation for change among many of the
Summit's youth delegates is, sadly, personal. "My brother was killed in a
drunk driving accident," explained Philadelphia delegate Marlene Olson,
speaking at the Saint Hubert pre-Summit event. "I want to do all I can to
keep other families from going through what my family experienced."
For the first time ever, families will be able to actively participate in
the Summit, by logging onto http://www.autobytel.com/MADD, where they can ask
specific questions and respond to discussion topics. Autobytel.com will
provide daily webcasts of key Summit events from September 30 through October
4 and will post Summit highlights for the ensuing six months on its site.
About autobytel.com inc.
Autobytel.com inc. , the global leader in online automotive
commerce, brings car buyers, owners, and sellers together in a trusted
environment, empowered by the Internet. Through its extensive automotive
content and multiple purchasing, financing, insurance and service options,
Autobytel.com offers consumers choice and peace of mind throughout the
automotive lifecycle, while providing its network of accredited dealers and
automotive services partners the most efficient way to reach online car buyers
and owners. Autobytel.com and its wholly-owned subsidiary, CarSmart.com, have
a network of over 5,000 Dealers nationwide and are the seventh largest
generator of automotive sales in the United States, just behind GM, Ford,
DaimlerChrysler, Toyota, Honda and Nissan. Autobytel.com has been ranked #1
in Dealer Satisfaction with Online Buying Services for three years in a row by
J.D. Power and Associates (1). Autobytel.com's low-cost, no-haggle car-buying
program is available in the U.S., Canada (http://www.autobytel.ca), the United
Kingdom (http://www.autobytel.co.uk), Sweden (http://www.autobytel.se) and Japan
(http://www.autobytel-japan.com). Headquartered in Irvine, California, Autobytel.com
is recognized as the company that transformed the $1 trillion new car industry
when it invented online car buying.
(1) J.D. Power and Associates 1998 - 2000 Dealer Satisfaction With Online
Buying Services Studies(SM). 2000 study conducted among dealership Internet
specialists who completed 2,144 evaluations of individual services.
http://www.jdpower.com.
The statements contained in this press release that are not historical
facts are forward-looking statements under the federal securities laws. These
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and
involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to
predict. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is
expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Autobytel.com
undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Among the
important factors that could cause Autobytel.com's actual results to differ
materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking
statements are changes in general economic conditions, increased or unexpected
competition, changes in A.I.N.Corporation's financial performance, and other
matters disclosed in Autobytel.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Investors are strongly encouraged to review the Company's annual
report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999, and quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a
discussion of risks and uncertainties that could affect operating results and
the market price of the Company's stock.
About MADD
Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2000, MADD is a non-profit
organization whose mission is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of
this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. The MADD National Youth
Summit, the second such gathering put on by MADD, is one of seven programs in
MADD's Youth in Action movement, a new youth focus.
For more information on the MADD National Youth Summit log on to
http://www.madd.org/nys.