NTSB ACTING CHAIRMAN ADVOCATES SAFETY FOR JULY 4

[NTSB Press Releases <NTSBPressReleases@xxxxxxxx>]

Title: NTSB ACTING CHAIRMAN ADVOCATES SAFETY FOR JULY 4

************************************************************
                      NTSB PRESS RELEASE
************************************************************

National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JULY 1, 2009
SB-09-34

************************************************************

NTSB ACTING CHAIRMAN ADVOCATES SAFETY FOR JULY 4

************************************************************

WASHINGTON, D.C. - National Transportation Safety Board
Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker prompted Americans today to
keep safety in mind when celebrating our nation's
independence this Fourth of July weekend.

"Everyone enjoys celebrating Independence Day - and it is
important to do so," said Rosenker. "The NTSB would simply
like to remind  Americans to take some time to think about
the safety of themselves as well as others while enjoying
the festivities."

Rosenker stressed several issues to keep in mind this
holiday weekend, particularly highway safety. Highway
transportation accounts for more than 90% of all
transportation fatalities in the United States today. As a
result, the NTSB has long campaigned for safety improvements
for highway travel, including mandatory seat belt laws,
child restraints, and advocacy against hard core drinking
and driving.

The Chairman urged partygoers to not operate motor vehicles
or boats of any kind if they have consumed any alcoholic
beverages. "Getting behind the wheel while impaired by
alcohol endangers not only your own life, but the lives as
others as well."

Other safety procedures to be mindful of this Fourth of July
include the following:

* Use personal floatation devices (PFDs) for
recreational boating. More than 700 boaters die on
U.S. waterways every year, and about 70% of those are
by drowning. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the
use of PFDs (life jackets) would have prevented at
least 80% of those drowning deaths.
* Restrict cell phone or other electronic device use
while driving. These gadgets may seem helpful, but
they can be a serious distraction and endanger
yourself and others while operating a vehicle.
* Make sure young children and infants are securely
fastened in child safety seats or booster seats that
are fit to their size and are placed in rear seats.
This alone reduces fatal injury risk by about a third
among those 12 and younger.

"Safety during this holiday weekend and all those to come is
everyone's responsibility," said Rosenker.

For safety alerts on boating and highway transportation
please visit the NTSB Web site at
http://www.ntsb.gov/alerts/alerts.htm.

# # #

NTSB Media Contact: Peter Knudson
(202) 314-6100
peter.knudson@xxxxxxxx

************************************************************

This message is delivered to you as a free service from the
National Transportation Safety Board.

You may unsubscribe at any time at
http://www.ntsb.gov/registration/registration.htm  

An archive of press releases is available at
http://www.ntsb.gov/pressrel/pressrel.htm

Current job opportunities with the NTSB are listed at
http://www.ntsb.gov/vacancies/listing.htm

For questions/problems, contact pubinq@xxxxxxxx

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: THIS E-MAIL TRANSMISSION MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT IS PRIVILEGED, CONFIDENTIAL, PROPRIETARY, SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT, AND/OR EXEMPT FROM DISCLOSURE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW. IT IS FOR THE USE OF INTENDED RECIPIENTS ONLY. If you are not an intended recipient of this message, please notify the original sender immediately and then delete all copies of the correspondence and attachments from your computer system. Any use, distribution, or disclosure of this message by unintended recipients is not authorized and may be unlawful.

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: THIS E-MAIL TRANSMISSION MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT IS PRIVILEGED, CONFIDENTIAL, PROPRIETARY, SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT, AND/OR EXEMPT FROM DISCLOSURE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW. IT IS FOR THE USE OF INTENDED RECIPIENTS ONLY. If you are not an intended recipient of this message, please notify the original sender immediately and then delete all copies of the correspondence and attachments from your computer system. Any use, distribution, or disclosure of this message by unintended recipients is not authorized and may be unlawful.