Honolulu, Hawaii - Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Ellen Engleman Conners headline an impressive list of speakers as top transportation and public health officials from across the country plan to meet at the Governors Highway Safety Association's (GHSA) Annual Meeting September 27-29.

The event at the Hilton Hawaiian Village is being hosted by GHSA and the Hawaii Department of Transportation. Three hundred highway safety experts and representatives from around the nation are scheduled to attend.

Governor Lingle will welcome attendees on Monday morning, September 27, as well as discuss as her administration's highway safety programs and priorities. The Governor is also expected to address the conference theme, "Highway Safety: Priority 1.0" which refers to the ambitious national goal of reducing the traffic fatality rate to 1.0 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. The current rate is 1.48, a historic low.

Also speaking Monday morning will be Brian O'Neill, President of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Ronald Ruecker, Superintendent of the Oregon State Police on behalf of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). O'Neill will talk about his organization's research into the most effective highway safety programs and how the state and federal governments can reach the 1.0 fatality rate goal. O'Neill will also discuss the issue of excessive speeding and how more attention needs to be paid to this critical highway safety concern. IIHS and GHSA are working together to give the issue of speeding more prominence and are planning a national research forum on the issue in 2005.

IACP's Ruecker will gives his organization's perspective on how to best reach Priority 1.0 and discuss some of the challenges faced by law enforcement, considered the most important partner of state highway safety agencies. Law enforcement agencies have been faced with staff reductions in many states at the same time as their jobs have become even more demanding with homeland security concerns.

Ellen Engleman Conners, Chairman of the NTSB, highlights Tuesday's agenda. President Bush appointed Ms. Engleman Conners to her position in March 2003. She'll address the legislative and program activity that NTSB would like to see the state and federal governments undertake to reduce highway fatalities and reach Priority 1.0. Engleman Conners will also discuss recent NTSB recommendations regarding older and impaired drivers.

Other Tuesday general session speakers include: Robert Darbelnet, President of AAA, Jerry Dike, Chairman of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA), and Susan Martinovich, representing the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials.

A variety of workshops will focus on the most current issues in highway safety to explore and present solutions from a variety of perspectives. A sampling of workshop topics includes:

• Speed: Highway Safety's Neglected Stepchild
• Addressing the Medically Impaired Driving Issue
• Reversing the Motorcycle Fatality Trend
• Secrets of Safety Belt Success in the West
• Beyond Impaired Driving Enforcement: A Multi-Faceted Approach
• Crafting Programs for Multicultural Populations

Sponsors of the meeting include: AAMVA, Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign, Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, The Century Council, CMI, Inc., Continental Teves, Inc., DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Farmers Insurance Group, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Honda North America, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Kustom Signals Inc., Laser Technology, Inc., Liberty Mutual, Nationwide Insurance, Nissan North America, Inc., Rubber Manufacturers Association, State Farm Insurance Companies, Toyota Motor Sales, Transportation Safety Solutions Group, Inc.,Volkswagen of America, Inc. and Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America.

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For a complete listing of session topics and speakers, visit www.ghsa.org. Media wishing to attend the GHSA Meeting should contact Jonathan Adkins or Scott Ishikawa on-site in Honolulu at (202) 669-9746 or (808) 587-2160.