All signs point to a strong automotive safety bill to be passed by Congress. Broad authority may be granted the Commerce Department to set standards—including safety devices. Actually this new legislation is stronger than requested by the Federal Administration. This clearly outlines what can be expected in the days ahead, for here is an explosive, emotional issue with many public facets.

To gain perspective, we suggest growing attention to a number of things:

· A recent Harvard University study which indicates that the more frequently cars are inspected, the less likely they will be prone to mechanical failure, and the less likely they will be implicated in accident deaths.

· Legislation proposed in some 24 states concerning highway transportation and safety, which shows which way the political interest is being directed at this time.

· The increase in traffic fatalities for the first four months of this year. It is 11 percent greater than for the same period last year—15,100 persons as compared to 13,650. This accelerating trend is sure to attract legislative attention at a time when safety is getting a tremendous amount of analysis.

To look at the other side, we should not overlook the fact that America has the best safety record in the world where motor vehicles are profusely used. Here’s the status based on death rate per 100 million vehicles.

- $430 million more for additional police traffic supervisors.

- $36 million fore for traffic courts

- $12 million for driver licensing

- $85 million for vehicle inspection

- $60 million minimum for school traffic safety education

- $12 million for police traffic safety education including driver manuals, ads, posters and other teaching aids.

- $10 million for coordinating traffic safety activities including citizen’s organizational efforts.

This is the magnitude of the task! Where do fleet administrators come in? We can think of two areas right now: Better miles:

Italy 32.6 percent

West Germany 14.7 percent

Great Britain 8.9 percent

United States 5.6 percent

H.E. Humphrys, Jr., Chairman, National Highways Users Conference (and vice chairman, executive committee, United States Rubber Company) estimates some $1,820,000,000 will be needed to get the results wanted. Here are a few place where such funds are needed.

- $25 million more for keeping essential accident records.

- $320 million for more full-time, qualified engineers for traffic control devices, traffic engineering and accident studies, marking and signs, maintenance and improved safety incentive programs.

We believe that today, rightnow, is the time for all concerned with automotive transportation to get involved with safety activities and safety trends as never before.