AAA Texas' `Talking' Car Teaches Students Pedestrian Safety

WHAT: Otto the Auto, a three-foot-tall, brightly colored talking car, will make its debut before several hundred elementary students in the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Monday, April 5, 2004. Otto the Auto is a free traffic safety program that is provided to school-aged children courtesy of AAA Texas. WHEN: Monday, April 5, 2004 WHERE: Ben Milam Elementary School (cafeteria) at 9:30 AM & 10:15 AM 4200 McKinney (Dallas, Texas) Victor Hexter Elementary School (auditorium) at 12:30 PM 9720 Waterview Road (Dallas, Texas) WHY: Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death in the U.S. for children aged five through 12. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Dallas has the fifth highest pedestrian fatality rate in the United States when compared to other large cities. Otto the Auto's visit precedes World Health Day (April 7). This year, the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified motor vehicle crashes as a public health issue.

AAA Texas, an affiliate of AAA National, has been serving Texans since 1902. Today, more than a million AAA Texas members benefit from the organization's roadside assistance service, insurance and financial products, travel agency, automotive pricing, buying and financing, trip planning services, and traffic safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on AAA Texas' Web site at www.aaa-texas.com.