APTA Joins Make Roads Safe Coalition As Part Of United Nation's First Global Road Safety Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Virginia Miller

(202) 496-4816

April 25, 2007

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(Washington, DC) -- In observance of the United Nation's first Global Road Safety Week, April 23-29, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is joining Make Roads Safe - The Campaign for Global Road Safety to help remind Americans traveling here and especially abroad to use public transportation when possible because it is far safer than driving.

"As we join the fight to improve road safety world wide for the traveling public, it is important to remember that travelers can dramatically reduce their crash risk by taking public transportation," said William W. Millar, president of APTA.

In the U.S., riding in a bus is 26 times safer than car travel, according to the National Safety Council's 2005-2006 "Injury Facts." In addition to the safety of the vehicle, public transportation vehicle operators in the U.S. are highly trained, according to APTA.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 1.2 million people are killed each year on the world's roads, with 43,000 deaths in the U.S. Make Roads Safe is a campaign involving transportation safety advocates, physicians, engineers, parents, teachers, and others who are committed to saving lives on and around our highways.

"The road crash epidemic is getting worse and deaths will double in less than 15 years unless we act now," said Dr. Bella Dinh-Zarr, Director, North America, Make Roads Safe. "While we work to improve our roads, one of our top five tips to American travelers abroad is to take mass transportation because of its great traffic safety record."

As part of Global Road Safety Week, APTA is supporting the international Make Roads Safe petition to the United Nations (UN) to raise awareness about road safety as an important global issue on the level of malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis. The goal is to obtain 1.2 million signatures - one signature to represent each of the 1.2 million people who die annually on the world's roads.

APTA is encouraging travelers to plan ahead and find out information about their domestic or international destination's local public transportation system by going to www.publictransportation.org. For additional information on Make Roads Safe and to sign the petition, please visit www.makeroadssafe.org/us.