National Safety Council News Release, 6/20/2002
Long Independence Day Holiday Means More Highway Fatalities Be a Fourth of July Survivor: Buckle Up, Don't Drink and Drive ITASCA, IL - Last year, an estimated 198 people died in auto crashes during a shorter-than-usual Independence Day holiday, which fell on a Wednesday. The Fourth of July falls on a Thursday this year, making for a much longer holiday period as defined by the National Safety Council (NSC). That means many more deaths will be associated with this year*s Fourth of July holiday period that stretches across 4 ¼-days, officially beginning at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3 and ending at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, July 7. On the positive side, the NSC estimates that 487 people involved in serious motor vehicle crashes will survive this Independence Day because they will be wearing their safety belts. *That*s the good news,* said Alan McMillan, NSC president. *The bad news is that because of the long holiday, we estimate that 648 people may die on the highways during the Fourth of July. The Council also estimates that 34,400 people will suffer disabling injuries from car crashes. If everyone were to buckle up, however, we would save 171 additional lives this Independence Day.* In the United States, 71 percent of motorists wear seat belts, which is one of the lowest safety-belt usage rates among all developed countries. For example, the safety-belt usage rate in Canada is 93 percent, and in Australia it*s 99 percent. Both countries have strong safety belt laws that are strictly enforced. The 29 percent of motorists in the U.S. who don*t buckle up tend to be high-risk drivers who are twice as likely to be involved in fatal crashes. *We*ve made great strides in the effort to get motorists to buckle up,* said McMillan, *but we need to do more. Safety belts are proven to save lives, yet nearly 3 out of 10 drivers and passengers still don*t wear them.* The National Safety Council recommends that motorists make sure that everyone is properly buckled for every single trip over the Fourth of July holiday. In addition to wearing a safety belt, the Council urges motorists to: Make sure children are properly fastened in belts or child safety seats in the back seat every time they ride in a car. Six out of ten children killed in crashes are not restrained. Children age 12 and under should always ride in the back seat, especially in vehicles with air bags. Don*t drink and drive. Nearly 40 percent of all fatal vehicle crashes involve alcohol. If you know you will be drinking alcohol, use a designated driver or public transportation. Allow enough travel time for frequent breaks on longer trips. Drowsy drivers are an increasing problem in our fast-paced society. Remember, drowsiness can reduce reaction time almost as much as drinking. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) announces its July 4th holiday Designate a Driver campaign, which reminds Americans to designate a sober driver before their Independence Day celebrations begin. The campaign also offers a free Safe Party Guide in both English and Spanish to help educate community members of drunk driving and its dangers. The Guide is available at http://www.madd.org/madd_programs/. The Safe Party Guide urges hosts to be responsible by offering a variety of non-alcoholic beverages for designated drivers, never serving alcohol to those under the legal drinking age of 21, asking guests to appoint a designated driver before the evening begins, not letting guests mix their own drinks, and never allowing guests who have had too much to drink to drive home. The National Safety Council is a nonprofit, nongovernmental public service organization dedicated to reducing unintentional injuries in homes and communities, in the workplace and on the road. Highway safety is addressed in the Safety Agenda for the Nation, a major NSC initiative to reduce unintentional injuries and deaths in America. For more information about the NSC, visit the Council*s website at http://www.nsc.org.
