©2000 SpeedCenter Publishing
CICERO, Ill. (July 28, 2000) - U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater and Championship Auto Racing Teams interim President and CEO Bobby Rahal today announced that for the third consecutive year their organizations would join in partnership to deliver vital safety messages to the American public.
Secretary Slater and Rahal made their announcement jointly at the Chicago Motor Speedway, site of CART's Target Grand Prix Presented by Energizer, scheduled for Sunday, July 30.
"We welcome the opportunity to extend this valuable and highly successful partnership with CART," Secretary Slater said. "With CART's help, we are continuing to send important safety messages designed to save lives. After all, safety is President Clinton and Vice-President Gore' highest transportation priority."
As part of the cooperative effort, two CART/NHTSA partners - Ford Racing and the Target Grand Prix at the Chicago Motor Speedway will distribute Public Service Announcements (PSAs) about vehicle safety and seat belts. Ford will distribute the PSAs for use both nationally and via Ford dealerships for use in local markets. The Target Grand Prix will distribute PSAs via local TV, radio and trackside at Chicago Motor Speedway. An example is the donation of a new trackside "Buckle Up America!" sign, which will be seen by an estimated three million fans.
Secretary Slater and Rahal were joined in making the announcement by Ford Racing Marketing Manager Sam Scott and Edward Duffy, CEO of Chicago Motor Speedway. FedEx Championship Series champions Michael Andretti and Juan Montoya are featured in the PSAs.
"Racing is our business and safety is a significant part of everything we do," said Rahal. "There's no doubt safety is important on the race circuit and it is equally important for drivers on the streets and highways of our country. We are pleased to be able to participate in this program, with great partners life Ford Racing, Target and Energizer, to convey the message about safety to the American public."
NHTSA makes a wide variety of safety information available to the public. Its latest vehicle safety information includes the Agency's Buying a Safer Car brochure, complete with 2000 crash test results and ratings, as well as Buying a Safer Car for Child
Passengers, which features tips and information on child-friendly safety features, safety seat compatibility and a convenient "Family Car Checklist" to use when shopping for a vehicle.
Also today, NHTSA Deputy Administrator Rosalyn G. Millman presented the Championship Auto Racing Auxiliary (CARA) with a Buckle Up America Champion Award for its hard work and devotion in conducting the Buckle Up Baby campaign. The campaign has provided nearly $500,000 to nearly 100 communities and hospitals worldwide to buy child safety seats for needy families.
"When it comes to helping parents place kids 12 and under in the back seat and in a proper restraint system, CARA is leading the pack," Millman said. "With their hard work and diligence, we are turning fatal crashes into survivable ones."
Safety materials also are available to consumers by calling NHTSA at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT or by visiting NHTSA's we site at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov.
