DaimlerChrysler Stands Behind National Effort to Stop Drivers Who Don't Buckle Up Children   DaimlerChrysler announced its official support of a national mobilization this Memorial Day week to protect children by stepping up enforcement of child passenger safety laws. Thousands of law enforcement agencies across the nation are conducting the first 1999 wave of the Operation ABC Mobilization: America Buckles Up Children - the largest ever coordinated stepped-up enforcement effort on drivers who don't buckle up children. DaimlerChrysler joins organizations nationwide that endorse the intensive, 50-state lifesaving initiative. "Although only law enforcement officers can write the tickets, we stand firmly behind the lifesaving message each ticket delivers," said Susan M. Cischke, Vice President, Vehicle Certification, Compliance and Safety Affairs. "DaimlerChrysler is not only an employer, we're parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who want to protect our children. The Operation ABC Mobilization is the kind of broad community-based movement our nation needs to save children's lives." A survey recently completed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that 19 million more Americans buckled up in 1998. If these millions of people continue to use seat belts an estimated 1,500 lives will be saved. In addition, a survey by the National Safety Council showed fatalities went down by more than 35 percent during last May's Operation ABC Mobilization. "The impact of the last Operation ABC Mobilization clearly illustrates that high-visibility enforcement coupled with broad community support works," said Dr. Ricardo Martinez, Administrator of NHTSA. "We praise the work of law enforcement and organizations nationwide to save lives on our roads." "DaimlerChrysler gives its official "Endorsement for Enforcement," said Cischke. "We urge zero tolerance for unbuckled children and hope officers can expand the Mobilization's success to save even more lives and send a clear message to America: The law requires that children be buckled up at all times. No exceptions. No excuses." Increasingly, officers are strengthening enforcement of adult belt laws during Operation ABC Mobilizations. Because adults are not obeying the law, children are being crippled or killed in traffic crashes. A recent study reported in the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics found "driver restraint use was the strongest predictor of child restraint use...a restrained driver was three times more likely to restrain a child." And according to surveys by NHTSA, when a driver buckles up, children are buckled up 87 percent of the time. However, when a driver is unbuckled, child belt use drops to only 24 percent. "Many drivers just don't believe they'll be in a crash, so they don't put on their own seat belt or make sure that children are restrained," said Cischke. "The possibility of being stopped and ticketed is what it takes for many drivers to protect children and themselves by always buckling up." As part of their enforcement activities throughout the Operation ABC Mobilization, officers will distribute information on air bag safety and the importance of making sure children 12 and under ride properly buckled up in the back seat.