In an urgent push to combat America's roadway safety crisis, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety will unveil the 2025 Roadmap to Safety at a news conference. The Roadmap, which grades all 50 states and DC on their efforts to implement 18 proven lifesaving traffic safety laws, will spotlight the gap between action and progress as roadway deaths continue to surge. With a shocking 42,514 fatalities and over 2.38 million injuries reported in 2022 alone, the nation's roads remain perilously dangerous—especially with fatality rates nearly 18% higher than pre-pandemic levels. With the economic toll of crashes topping $400 billion annually, this is a crisis that demands immediate attention by each state. In addition to the Roadmap, new post-election polling will reveal Americans' top concerns about highway safety.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- WHEN: Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 10:30 AM ET

WHERE:

• In-person: 660 North Capitol St, NW, Washington, DC (Concourse Level Conference Center).
• Livestreamed: www.saferoads.org. Closed captioning available; reporters can submit questions during the event. Individual interviews with speakers may also be arranged upon request.

WHAT:

NEWS CONFERENCE – Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety will unveil the 2025 Roadmap to Safety, which rates all 50 states and DC on their progress toward enacting 18 proven traffic safety laws and provisions aimed at reducing deaths and injuries. Additionally, new post-election polling data on the American public's top roadway safety concerns will be announced.

In 2022 alone, the U.S. experienced 42,514 roadway deaths and 2.38 million injuries. The fatality rate is nearly 18 percent higher than levels prior to the COVID pandemic (2019) levels. Early estimates indicate fatalities remained alarmingly high in 2023. The annual economic cost of crashes exceeds $400 billion.

The 2025 report will:

• Rate each state and DC with a color-coded system (Green, Yellow or Red) based on progress in passing the 18 essential traffic safety laws and provisions.
• Call on Governors and state legislatures to close gaps in existing laws during the 2025 sessions focusing on automated enforcement for speeding and red-light running, seat belt and child safety seat usage, motorcycle helmet use, impaired driving and distracted driving, and teen driver safety.
• Urge the U.S. Transportation Department to issue pending federal vehicle safety standards, including those required by the landmark bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA, Pub. L. 117-58).

WHO:

• Cathy Chase: President, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates)
• Tasha Hairston-Springs (North Carolina): Tasha was driving while distracted as she was texting with her daughter, leading to a serious crash that partially ejected Tasha, who was not wearing a seat belt, resulting in permanent injuries, including the loss of parts of her ear and face. Her crash also injured two others.
• Rich Leotta (Maryland): Father of fallen Montgomery County Police Officer Noah Leotta, for whom Maryland's landmark drunk driving prevention ignition interlock law, "Noah's Law," was named.
• Minnesota State Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura (Minneapolis): Sponsor of new laws strengthening the state's child passenger safety requirements and establishing an automated enforcement pilot program to combat speeding and red-light running.
• Lt. Col. Joshua Downing, Colorado State Patrol: A nationally recognized leader in traffic safety enforcement.
• Jack Gillis: former Executive Director, Consumer Federation of America, originator of the authoritative consumer car buying guide "The Car Book," and Consumer Co-Chair of Advocates' Board of Directors.
• Matt Gannon: Head of Federal Affairs at Farmers Insurance, and Insurance Co-Chair of Advocates' Board of Directors.

ELECTRONIC MEDIA KIT: The 2025 Roadmap to Safety report will be available online Thursday, December 5, 2024, at 12:01 AM ET at www.saferoads.org. Embargoed copies are available to news media upon request.

ADDITIONAL INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE with other activists spotlighted in the 2025 report who are fighting for safety laws and standards:

• Melissa Wandall (Florida): Three weeks before Melissa's daughter was born, her husband Mark was killed by a red light runner. Melissa founded the National Coalition for Safer Roads and fought for passage of the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act, which allows automated enforcement for red-light running in Florida.
• Kathleen Hoke, JD (Maryland): A professor at the University of Maryland Law School who specializes in public health policy. Since 2016, Professor Hoke has led a coalition that has successfully defended Maryland's motorcycle helmet law in legislative efforts to repeal the requirement.
• Greg Parkinson, MD (Massachusetts): A pediatrician and emergency department physician dedicated to educating state lawmakers about the critical importance of raising the Commonwealth's low seat belt use rate by enacting optimal laws to maximize child safety seat and safety belt use.
• Jenesee Beaudoin (Texas): On the day after Christmas in 2016, while moving her SUV to pack up gifts and her family, Jenesee accidentally ran over her two-year-old daughter Briley Kaye who was hidden in the SUV's blind zone. Tragically, she did not survive. As vehicles have grown larger, children are increasingly concealed from a driver's view. Jenesee, in collaboration with Kids & Car Safety and Advocates, is advocating for legislation and auto safety standards to prevent these tragedies.

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety is an alliance of consumer, medical, public health, law enforcement and safety groups and insurance companies and agents working together to make America's roads safer. Advocates' mission is the adoption of federal and state laws, policies and programs that prevent motor vehicle crashes, save lives, reduce injuries, and contain costs.

Media Contact

Bill Bronrott, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, 1 2022704415, bronrott@gmail.com, www.saferoads.org

Shane Austin, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, 1 202-425-2776, saustin@saferoads.org, www.saferoads.org

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SOURCE Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety