Americans Say Seat Belts, Air Bags and Steel Frames Offer Best Protection While Driving

Leading Safety Tips Offered at www.steel.org

WASHINGTON, June 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- When it comes to automotive safety for their families, consumers rate seat belts, air bags, steel frames and steel side impact beams as the most effective car features in protecting themselves in the event of a crash, a new survey finds. These findings suggest that most Americans realize the importance of buckling up, just as summer driving season goes into high gear.

The survey, conducted by the global research firm Harris Interactive, also found that 81 percent of consumers say that steel is the automotive material that provides the best protection in the event of a car crash. This indicates that consumers recognize the important role that steel plays in automotive safety.

The steel frame of a car, also referred to as the steel safety cage, is designed to absorb the energy created in a crash by bending without breaking. Because steel is strong, and gets stronger as it bends, it reduces the chance of intrusion into the passenger compartment, better protecting the passengers of the vehicle. In today's vehicles, steel comprises 62 percent of the mass.

"Automobile bodies and structures play a key role in occupant protection. These structures have to be designed to absorb the energy of high-speed crashes, keeping compartments intact so that occupants can be protected against injury," said Brian O'Neill, former president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Steel plays a key role in this because most automobile bodies today are still made of steel. Steel is well known for its energy absorbing characteristics. Plus, unlike many of the other competitive materials, steel can easily be repaired."

The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) sponsored the automotive- related questions as part of AISI's summer safety campaign, whose objectives are to educate consumers about the safety benefits of steel and to provide safety tips for consumers to help make their summer driving vacations fun and safe. These safety tips can be found on AISI's Web site at http://www.steel.org/.

"The results of this survey show that consumers continue to recognize an important connection between automotive safety and the strength of steel," said AISI Senior Vice President of Market Development, David Jeanes. "By advancing new technologies to meet the needs of automakers and their customers -- the driving public -- the North American steel industry has made great strides in recent years when it comes to producing the types of steels that achieve greater crash protection while at the same time, producing an affordable, lighter structure that requires less fuel consumption."

One such steel development is advanced high-strength steels (AHSS), which are the most sophisticated steels available for automotive production. AHSS foster weight reduction and exhibit a superior combination of high strength, crash energy management, excellent formability and dent resistance. A study conducted by Ducker Research demonstrates that high-strength steels now make up an average of 415 pounds per vehicle, representing a 44.6 percent increase in the past 10 years - making theses new steels the fastest growing automotive material category.

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the 101 days between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day have the highest volume of traffic on the road and, thus, the highest incidence of car crashes. Numerous lives are saved each year during car collisions, especially in the summer months, due to the strength of steel and its unique ability to become stronger under pressure. Below are some driving tips on how to avoid aggressive driving.

Play It Safe on the Road
Tips to Avoid Aggressive Driving

The following tips will help you know how to remain calm and protect yourself from aggressive drivers.

Stay Calm Behind the Wheel
- Plan ahead. Allowing yourself enough travel time will prevent a time
crunch.
- Obey the speed limit. Driving too fast can lead to "bottle-necking,"
bringing traffic to a standstill and frustrating drivers.
- Identify alternate routes. Try and be aware of the different routes
available to get you where you're going. Use these routes to help
alleviate traffic congestion on busier roads.
- Just be late. Learn that being late for work or an appointment is
better than endangering your life or that of someone else.

Protect Yourself from Aggressive Drivers.
- Don't take it personally. Be polite and courteous, even if the other
driver is not. If another driver challenges you, take a deep breath and
move out of the way.
- Keep your eyes on the road. Don't provoke an aggressive driver further
by making negative eye contact or gesturing. Set an example by showing
them that they can't distract you from driving safely.
- Always be a courteous driver. Set an example for other drivers by
always being courteous and driving safely. If more and more people
start driving this way, aggressive driving behaviors may become less
prevalent.
- Consider safety options. Before heading out on the road, make sure that
everyone's seatbelt is buckled and doors are locked.
- Avoid multi-tasking while you are driving. Behaviors such as talking
on cell phones, putting on makeup, or looking down to change the radio
dial contribute to as much as one quarter of traffic accidents.

Take Action! You Can Prevent Aggressive Driving.

Just as community groups have banded together to protect their neighborhoods, drivers must take an active role in preventing aggressive driving on our roads and highways. Here are some simple tips on how to make a difference.

- Report incidents of aggressive driving. If your safety or the safety of
someone around you is being threatened by an aggressive driver, pull
over to a safe place first and then use a cellular phone to contact
local law enforcement officials.
- Set an example for younger passengers. Children are keenly observant.
Educating them at an early age through your actions will teach them the
importance of being courteous.

AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology, including research directed at making automobiles safer and more environmentally sound. AISI is comprised of 31 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 130 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. AISI's member companies represent over 75 percent of both U.S. and North American steel capacity. For more information on safety tips for consumers, visit AISI's Web site at http://www.steel.org/.

Source: American Iron and Steel Institute

CONTACT: Maureen Iselin, +1-202-452-7116, miselin@steel.org, or Nancy
Gravatt, +1-202-452-7115, ngravatt@steel.org, both of the American Iron and
Steel Institute

Web site:

http://www.steel.org/

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Profile: automotive-news