February 1, 2005
A nationwide SUV safety campaign resulting from a $51.5-million settlement reached with Ford Motor Company by Florida and the other 49 states is getting underway.
The focus of the safety campaign is the largely overlooked fact that driving a sport utility vehicle as if it were an ordinary passenger car can be fatal.
Under the nationwide settlement, Ford agreed to provide $27 million for a year-long national education program to reduce SUV rollovers, particularly among young male drivers -- who have the highest incidence of such accidents.
In 2000, rollover crashes killed 9,873 occupants of passenger cars and light trucks, accounting for almost one-third of the total deaths of occupants of these types of vehicles. Despite these disturbing figures, more than four in 10 Americans think they are safer in an SUV than in a regular car, according to a new consumer survey.
The goal of the public safety campaign, which utilizes a fictional animal mascot, named ESUVEE, is to improve awareness of SUV safety among younger drivers. In keeping with the animal theme, the kickoff event was held at New York's Central Park Zoo. ESUVEE will appear in safety materials displayed through movie theaters, billboards and print, online and broadcast advertisements.
"This campaign can save lives," said Attorney General Charlie Crist of Florida, which was the lead state in the nationwide settlement with Ford.
"The purpose is to alert SUV owners, especially younger drivers, that these vehicles need to be respected for what they can and cannot do," Crist said. "They are susceptible to rollovers when overloaded, or when a sudden maneuver is made at a high rate of speed. Drivers need to be the master of these vehicles, not the other way around."
The campaign highlights critical tips for driving SUVs that can mean the difference between life and death. SUV drivers should check tire pressure monthly, avoid overloading the SUV, always wear a seatbelt, and try to avoid abrupt maneuvers and speeding, according to the safety campaign.
The concept of a safety campaign was conceived in December 2002, when the 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia reached a settlement with Ford. The agreement, crafted by lawyers within the Florida Attorney General's Office, settled state lawsuits alleging that Ford's marketing practices misled consumers on how to drive, load and maintain Ford Explorers.
As part of the settlement, Ford agreed to fund the $27-million consumer education campaign on SUV safety. In their lawsuits, the states alleged that Ford failed to disclose a known safety risk concerning failures with certain tires, and that Ford's advertising misled consumers as to the safe use of Ford SUVs.
The SUV Safety Campaign will utilize a web site, www.ESUVEE.com, to provide tips and information about safe operation and maintenance of SUVs. Throughout the year, the site will also provide information on upcoming events where the ESUVEE mascot will appear. The Campaign aims to inform the public about the following critical safety elements that can help save lives:
• Handling SUVs have a higher center of gravity than passenger cars, which contributes to the higher risk of rollover. The chances of an SUV rollover are further increased by speeding, abrupt maneuvers, inattentiveness, tailgating, recklessness, aggressiveness or impaired driving.
• Loading According to the new consumer survey, nearly 50 percent of Americans do not know that overloading an SUV increases the risk of rollovers. The number of occupants, as well as the weight and distribution of cargo, raises an SUV's center of gravity, increasing the risk of rollover.
• Tires Tire size, pressure and maintenance are keys to SUV safety. Drivers should monitor each of these, and take them into account when loading an SUV.
• Seat belts Perhaps the most preventable cause of death in an SUV rollover is ejection from the vehicle. Eighty percent of those killed in SUV rollovers are unbelted.
