Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater Lifesavers 15 Conference

Rodney E. Slater, United States Secretary of Transportation
June 9, 1997

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 9, 1997
Contact: Tim Hurd
Tel. No. (202) 366-9550

REMARKS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION RODNEY E. SLATER
LIFESAVERS 15 CONFERENCE
JUNE 9, 1997
ORLANDO, FLORIDA

Thank you, and let me say: it is an honor to be among some of the most vigilant people in America.

Two years ago, when I was at Federal Highways, we asked your help in stopping red light runners. From Anchorage, Alaska, to Polk County, here in Florida you said yes, and yes, and yes. I want to start with some good news. So far, red light running crashes are down 24 percent. Thank you for that.

This is Lifesaver's 15th anniversary, which makes you half as old as the Department of Transportation. We are celebrating our 30th this year.

I think it's important to understand our roots. Thirty years ago, in the middle of an unpopular war, President Johnson pleaded the case for a Department of Transportation.

He asked us to remember -- and remember we will -- that more Americans were being killed on our highways than in Vietnam. He appealed to Congress that in the name of 50,000 people who died on our highways, "let's try, try with everything we've got to reduce this slaughter."

If Lyndon Johnson were here he'd be pleased to know 10,000 fewer people die a year in spite of the enormous increase in traffic. But Lyndon Johnson would be telling President Clinton and me: you have a long ways to go. Get more people like Lifesavers to come together and help you.

When I was sworn into office almost four months ago, I thought about the kind of transportation system we want to build as we move forward to the next century.

What kind of visionary policy architecture should we put in place that will allow our transportation system to be more than concrete, asphalt, and steel. But a system that is about people. That provides opportunity for all. That aids each and everyone of us in our enjoyment of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

So, on the day I was sworn in, I said I had three goals. 1) Safety will be the number one priority of the DOT; 2) that we will invest in our infrastructure to ensure that America's transportation system meets the needs and desires of the American people in the 21st century; 3) that we will use a common-sense approach to running a department so that it works better and costs less.

And I say to you this: you have a partner, not just at the Transportation Department, but at the White House. President Clinton and Vice President Gore are in this, with me.

One of my first acts was to ask Representative Brown, and all of Congress, to increase our budget for highway safety programs by 25 percent in the next six years.

Let me put this in perspective: in Washington, we are for the first time in 30 years going to balance a budget -- for the first time since there's been a Department of Transportation. That means many budgets are being cut. So asking for 25 percent more money is doing very well.

Then two months ago, I set a national goal to increase seat belt use. I did it at the White House -- and I was joined by about half of all former Transportation Secretaries, my predecessors, Republicans and Democrats. That is how important this is.

Today, seven of 10 Americans buckle up. I want nine out of 10 by 2005. I want the 21st century driver to wear seat belts. Airplanes don't take off until everyone is wearing seat belts, so why should we drive cars without buckling up?

I want you to help pass primary seat belt laws in every state, so an officer can stop a driver for no other reason than they aren't buckled.

Clearly, when these laws are enforced -- they work. States with them have, on average, increased seat belt use rates 15 percentage points.

Look at Canada. At Australia. At Western European countries. They have primary enforcement, and 90 percent of their citizens wear belts.

Since we made the announcement, Maryland and the District of Columbia have enacted primary seat belt laws. And I thank Carolyn Hanig, our wonderful mother from Oklahoma, who in the deepest pain, got Oklahoma to pass the primary seat belt law. The good of America is that people like you can find the strength to make a difference, and we all thank you.

I also want to thank the Air Bag Safety Campaign, for teaching Americans that children should be buckled properly and sitting in the back seat.

My predecessor, Secretary Pe¤a, helped to set a very ambitious goal of reducing alcohol-related fatalities from 17,000 to 11,000 by the year 2005. Let me say: I support that goal, and like the President, like Mothers and Students Against Drunk Driving, I am troubled about teenagers driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

In 1995, when fewer than half the states had zero tolerance laws for teenagers, President Clinton called on Congress to enact legislation making it the law of the land. And they did. If it's illegal in every state for young people to buy alcohol, it should be illegal to drive with any alcohol.

As a result of the President's efforts, 40 states and the District of Columbia now have zero tolerance laws, and we expect more to follow. In fact, Governor Romer signed the Colorado zero tolerance law just last week.

The President asked me and some of the other agencies in the Cabinet, to see what more we can do about teenagers driving under the influence of drugs. Two-thirds of teenagers say they personally know someone who has driven a car after using marijuana or another drug. We need to deal with this problem.

So, we want to experiment in a few states with the concept of asking new drivers' license applicants to voluntarily take drug tests. And I hope you join with me on this.

And let me tell you about two more programs under way:

First, I am committed to continuing the efforts to close highway-rail grade crossings. Since 1991, we have closed 24,000 grade crossings -- more than 8 percent of all crossings. And we will keep closing crossings as we move toward our goal of closing 25 percent.

This effort is working. I am happy to report that in 1996, there was a 16 percent reduction in the number of fatalities at crossings. That is a significant improvement in safety.

Second, we will continue to build safe communities across the country -- where you bring together concerned citizens, medical and health workers, elected officials, business people, police, and safety advocates -- all working together to prevent traffic injuries.

Secretary Peña started this concept two years ago. Today, there are almost 300 safe communities, and we want to double that by 1999.

And I have asked all areas in the Department of Transportation to work together, in building safe communities. This way we don't just focus on traffic safety, as important as that is. But we need to focus on children and adults, whether they are boating, riding a bike, or at a railroad crossing.

Along these lines, in November in Washington, we will host a Moving Kids Safely Conference, to be followed by 10 regional conferences around America.

Let me end on this -- a concept Dr. Martinez has championed. When cars hit each other, because one of the drivers was drunk, that is not an accident. When kids get hit by a train, because they're trespassing on a track they shouldn't be on, that is not an accident. These are all preventable acts.

Lifesavers know that. Because of you -- many Americans will not be injured. There are people whose lives you save who may never know you. They may not know you ever helped them, or how, but they owe a great deal to you.

And so does America.

Thank you for being our partners. I look forward to working with all of you, and knowing that our best days are yet to come.

Thank you very much.

Source:  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)