Thank you for inviting the National Transportation Safety Board to address this important group that has the potential to prevent tragedy throughout the 16 southeastern States. I bring you regrets from Chairman-designate Ellen Engleman Conners, who very much wanted to be here with you today, but was forced to cancel her travel plans at the last minute.

It is important to the Safety Board that we partner with the states in reducing the highway death toll that claimed more than 42,000 lives last year. And, that number has not been declining in recent years!

The National Transportation Safety Board is a small agency, with a staff of less than 420, most of whom are accident investigators. But NTSB investigators and employees don't have jobs; they have a mission - to improve transportation safety.

And that should be your mission, too. You are critical to making highway safety work in your state. Your efforts can mean the difference in whether someone's loved one comes home or not.

For too long, too many people have died in preventable crashes, and especially here in the South, where there are so many rural roads. And, I wonder whether political leaders in your States have a real understanding of the magnitude of the problem and the solutions available.

I receive a page on my pager every time there is a fatal aviation accident in this country, typically once or twice a day. If you were paged, like I am, every time there was a highway fatality in your state, you also would be hearing your pager every day, and 3 or 4 times in some states.

We need to make highway safety Political Priority One! We must do this if we are to reduce the ongoing death toll in the South, and nationwide.

I know well the security, budget, tax reform, education and other important concerns that preoccupy your legislative agendas. Short-term crises often override long-term solutions. Rarely do we see highway safety as a political priority in the states. And, that must change.

Further, as legislative leaders, you need to know which actions are truly effective, and which are not effective. You need to focus on the facts, science and data, not on supposition, guesswork, and desire. And you should have the political will to make safety changes happen.

While there are many ways we can reduce the toll of deaths and injuries on our highways, I want to highlight four Safety Board priorities.

First on the list is increasing safety belt use. Nationally, 80 percent of front seat occupants are now using their safety belts, and that's good. But, everyone in a car should be buckled up. Only 7 of the 16 SLC States are at or above the average, and 5 of those states have primary enforcement. Four SLC States (Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and South Carolina) are below 70 percent! None have primary enforcement, although the South Carolina Legislature is to be commended for enacting primary enforcement earlier this year.

The steady increase in use in recent years has been gratifying. And, innovative programs such as "Click It or Ticket," which was created in North Carolina, deserve commendation. But, we need to get these low usage rates up if we truly want to make a dent in that annual fatality number. Further increases will become more difficult. Business as usual won't reach those who still refuse to wear their seat belt.

Authorizing primary enforcement of your existing safety belt use requirement is the single most important step that you can take to reduce deaths and injuries resulting from highway crashes. Increasing safety belt use requires a combination of tough laws, enforcement, and effective education. We will need to be creative in our message, and consistent in enforcing the law. And, this must be an ongoing effort if we are going to create a culture of use by all. Whether through strengthened laws, or increased support for programs and enforcement, SLC States need to act! This needs to be your Priority One in 2006!

Second on the priority list is addressing the hard core drinking driver. More than 17,000 persons were killed nationwide in alcohol-related highway crashes in 2003, with almost 8,200 of these in the 16 SLC States. Let me ask again, "Is the Governor of your state made aware on a daily basis of how many people die in your State as a result of alcohol-related crashes?" Does he know their names?

Much has been done in many States to improve laws, their prosecution, and the administrative processes for handling impaired drivers. But, there is much that needs to be done. Both executive and legislative leadership involvement is critical. We need systemic improvements in deterrence, enforcement, adjudication, treatment and sanctions. Courts, State and local law enforcement agencies, other executive branch agencies, everyone who potentially has contact with impaired drivers, must make this a higher priority.

And, you who are legislators have a crucial role to play, both by enacting effective laws, and by providing the political permission for their strong enforcement. We know with the right political leadership this can be done. Virginia, with bipartisan leadership of Governor Mark Warner and legislative leaders, last year passed 25 bills to revamp its alcohol-highway safety laws.

The Safety Board has identified an 11-point program for addressing hard core drinking drivers. And, other groups, such as MADD and the Century Council (an anti-drunk driving group funded by distillers) have made similar recommendations.

Nowhere is there research that says that the disease of alcoholism comes with a compelling urge to drive a car. We need to target the most dangerous drivers - the hard core - those who repeatedly drive intoxicated, or have a high blood alcohol content on their first arrest. Getting these drivers off the road is on the Board's list of "Most Wanted" safety recommendations.

The third area I want to discuss is the need to strengthen teen driver licensing standards. Too many people still are dying in crashes involving teen drivers, and traffic crashes remain the leading cause of death among teenagers. Here in the SLC region, more than 4,000 people were killed in crashes involving a 15- to-20-year-old driver in 2003.

Again, we know what to do to make teens safer drivers. All States should have a comprehensive 3-phase graduated licensing system that includes:

• An extended learner's permit holding period with a supervised driving requirement. There is no substitute for time in learning to be a safe driver.
• An intermediate phase with restrictions on nighttime driving, young passengers, and cell phone use.

We have seen revolutionary changes in driver licensing practices in the past decade. With new laws this year in Oklahoma, Hawaii, Wyoming and Montana, every State has adopted at least some elements of graduated licensing. But, some Southern States have among the weakest laws in the nation. Kentucky does not have a 3-stage licensing system, and neither it nor Arkansas has a nighttime driving restriction or effective passenger restriction. Indeed less than half of the SLC states limit newly licensed drivers to carrying a single passenger.

The final initiative on the Safety Board's priority list is child passenger safety. It is imperative that we do everything we can to make safe transportation decisions for all our children, but especially for those little ones who cannot make such decisions for themselves.

Priority One for children is to get them in the back seat, get their parents and caregivers trained to properly install their child safety seats, and get four to-eight-year-olds into booster seats that can reduce their chance of injury by 59 percent. Every State requires the use of a child safety seat for younger children. But, only 3 SLC States (North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia) have a comprehensive booster seat use requirement. Five SLC States (Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, Kentucky, Florida) have no booster seat requirement at all.

Unfortunately, that sends an inaccurate message to parents, who, surveys show, believe that their State child passenger safety law reflects best practice. In focus groups parents have emphasized that they rely on the law to tell them how to most safely transport children. They justify their decision not to use booster seats by explaining that their State laws do not require booster seats. Parents and care givers listen to what the legislature says, believing that if booster seats really are necessary, the legislature will change the law accordingly.

Consider whether your state needs to bring its child passenger safety law up to date by adding a requirement that children under age 8 ride in the rear, and use a booster seat.

In closing, let me remind you that as you work to reach Priority One, the Safety Board is a ready and willing partner. We will work with you and your constituencies. We are available and anxious to visit your State to aid you in making the changes we all know can save hundreds of lives every year.

Together we can accomplish great things. Now let's go and do it! Thank you.