First-Ever TV PSA to Promote Booster Seat Awareness

Expansive TV, Outdoor, Radio and Online Campaign Lends Walt Disney's Original 'Cinderella' Classic to Life-Saving PSAs

WASHINGTON and BURBANK, Calif., Sept. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Advertising Council (AdCouncil) today announced an unprecedented tie-in with Walt Disney's original "Cinderella" animated feature and Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE), to educate families on the importance of booster seats until children reach 4 feet 9 inches in height. As part of the effort, an expansive Public Service Advertisement (PSA) campaign will roll out via television, radio, outdoor and online media, featuring facts about booster seat usage, themed to the "Cinderella" story and utilizing original footage and characters from Walt Disney's classic animated motion picture, to make the campaign more effective and appealing to both children and parents.

This new and innovative way of combining life-saving information about child safety seat use with a well-known entertainment property is the first-ever collaboration of the three organizations and was created in response to overwhelming statistics indicating booster seats reduce the number of avoidable deaths and serious injuries from car crashes each year. The expansive new public service campaign is designed to create awareness among parents of young children who have outgrown their toddler seats, that a booster seat is a must for any child under 4 feet 9 inches tall, to lift them up so that a safety belt fits properly. Booster seat use is required by law in 33 states and the District of Columbia.

"We're delighted that the Ad Council and BVHE have agreed to help us get kids between four and eight into booster seats," said NHTSA Deputy Administrator Jacqueline Glassman. "What better messenger than the Fairy Godmother to tell us that the magic number is 4'9"."

"We are very proud to stand with NHTSA in promoting child safety by lending Walt Disney's original beloved 'Cinderella' characters to this important safety campaign," Robert Chapek, President, Buena Vista Home Entertainment said. "Using the beloved Fairy Godmother and Cinderella to help deliver this message, but in a more family-friendly way, can heighten the public's receptivity to such an important safety issue."

FACTS ABOUT BOOSTER SEAT SAFETY:

NHTSA research indicates at least 80 percent of children who should be using booster seats are not. Without this extra lift, in a car crash, a safety belt alone can cause fatal or disabling abdominal, spinal, head and neck injuries. In fact, the use of booster seats lowers the risk of injury to children in crashes by 59 percent compared to the use of safety belts alone.* In 2003 alone, 331 booster-aged child passengers (ages 4 to 8) died in crashes -- a 4 percent increase over 2002 (49 percent of these children were completely unrestrained). In response to past work of NHTSA and others, more than 30 states have passed laws in recent years requiring child passengers to ride in a booster seat once they have outgrown their toddler seat.

*According to a study by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's booster seat information website is www.boosterseat.gov

About The U.S. Department of Transportation/National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is responsible for reducing deaths, injuries and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. NHTSA investigates safety defects in motor vehicles, sets and enforces fuel economy standards, helps states and local communities reduce the threat of drunk drivers, promotes the use of safety belts, child safety seats and air bags, investigates odometer fraud, establishes and enforces vehicle anti-theft regulations and provides consumer information on motor vehicle safety topics. Booster seat information is available at www.boosterseat.gov. The main website is www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

About The Advertising Council

The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization with a rich history of marshalling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has effected, and continues to effect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action, and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit www.adcouncil.org.

About Buena Vista Home Entertainment

Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc., is a recognized industry leader. Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc. is the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax, Dimension and Buena Vista videocassettes and DVDs.

To find out more about Disney's outreach efforts on behalf of children and families, please visit us online at www.DisneyHand.com.