FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 9, 1999 SB-99-26

NTSB HEARING TO FOCUS ON ADVANCED SAFETY TECHNOLOGY FOR TRUCKS AND BUSES

Washington D.C - NTSB Chairman Jim Hall today announced a public hearing to highlight new technologies for commercial vehicles designed to make our nation's highways safer. The hearing, taking place August 31 - September 2 in Nashville, is part of the NTSB's continuing truck and bus safety initiative.

"Today trucks on the road are bigger and more powerful than ever before. If we can use technology to make a bigger truck, we can also use it to make a safer truck," said Chairman Hall in announcing the hearing. He added that "technology is a valuable safety tool, and the Safety Board is committed to exploring every available resource in order to increase the safety of the traveling public."

The hearing will include a products showcase featuring state-of-the-art safety technology as well as several full size trucks equipped safety features such as electronic braking systems, collision avoidance radar with adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning systems and systems that allow the driver to receive satellite and land based communications, track fuel mileage and check systems diagnostics.

The August hearing is the second in the series of hearings focused on improving truck and bus safety in America. Members of the Safety Board will hear will testimony from representatives of the US government, the truck-and-bus industry, technology manufacturers, public advocacy groups, and foreign governments that have already implemented some of the advanced technology. In April the Safety Board held a hearing to examine the conditions and causes of truck- and bus- related crashes as well as federal, state and industry oversight, in order to determine effective solutions to long-standing safety issues.

The Safety Board will convene the hearing at 8:30 am Tuesday, August 31, 1999 at the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, 623 Union St. Nashville, TN 37219. The hearing is open to the public and no registration is required. More information about the hearing and the featured technologies will be available on the News & Events page of the NTSB website (http://www.ntsb.gov).

Media contact: Lauren Peduzzi, (202) 314 6100

(NOTE: the name of the hotel has changed from Holiday Inn Sheraton Downtown. The hotel address and phone number remain the same. updated 8/16/99)