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Jiffy Lube and Fisher-Price(R) Gear Up for July 4th Holiday With Campaign

17 June 1998

Buckle Up America, Jiffy Lube and Fisher-Price(R) Gear Up for July 4th Holiday With National Awareness Campaign

    HOUSTON, June 16 -- Every hour someone dies in America simply
because they didn't buckle up ... in fact, more than 3,000 people will be
involved in traffic accidents this July 4th weekend alone.  To help prevent
senseless deaths of children, Jiffy Lube and Fisher-Price are teaming up to
educate pregnant mothers and families on the importance of proper child car
seat installation and how the simplest precautionary measures can save lives.
    "Not only do we want to help you care for your car, but we want to help
protect the car's most precious contents -- its passengers," said President
Jim Wheat, Jiffy Lube International.
    As part of this initiative, Jiffy Lube, Fisher-Price, the Air Bag & Seat
Belt Safety Campaign and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) will host a safety seminar in Houston on Saturday, June 27 from
9 - 11 a.m.  The free seminar will feature speakers and a drive-thru car seat
safety checkpoint.
    In addition to the one-day seminar, Jiffy Lube will distribute safety tips
and coupons for discounts on purchases of the new Fisher-Price Safe
Embrace(TM) Infant Car Seat at Jiffy Lube service centers nationwide through
July 5.
    According to the NHTSA, child car seats have saved 2,934 lives since 1982.
Despite these impressive figures, many parents inadvertently install child car
seats incorrectly -- which can result in injury or death in the event of a
crash.  It has been estimated that when properly installed, child car seats
reduce the risk of death by 69 percent for infants and 47 percent for
toddlers.
    The Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign cautions parents to never put an
infant car seat in front of an air bag.  In a crash, the deploying air bag
will strike a baby's head and neck at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour.
    Buckle Up America is a broad, public-private partnership of community and
health groups, safety advocates, business, law enforcement, legislators,
public officials and concerned citizens.
    Jiffy Lube, a wholly owned subsidiary of Houston-based Pennzoil Company
, originated in 1979 and pioneered the fast oil change industry.
Today the company has the largest number of outlets -- 1,550 and franchised-
owned -- throughout the United States.