The study also underscored the vulnerability of one of our most precious resources for the new century and new millennium. African-American youth are 50 percent less likely to be buckled than Hispanics or whites. The safety message is being heeded by other communities. Since 1997, an additional 19 million more Americans are buckling up, and child fatalities are down some seven percent for children between the ages of one and four. Yet, among African-Americans through age 14, traffic crashes remain the leading cause of death.
Seatbelts save lives.
As a department, we have attempted to confront this issue directly and forcefully. DOT's Safe Communities program teaches citizens how to reduce transportation-related injuries in their communities. Through our ongoing campaigns, from Buckle-Up America to Operation Lifesaver to our Stop Red Light Running Initiative, we are working with our safety partners to change personal behavior and teach personal responsibility. I was following up on the Traffic Safety Diversity Forum which we held in Miami, Florida a month earlier, when we brought together representatives of some 80 organizations, representing every segment of America's diverse mix of cultures. We came together to discuss underage drinking, impaired and unbelted driving, and law enforcement from a minority perspective.