 "Illinois is taking the lead with this initiative, and our
partnership with NASCAR and Chicagoland Speedway on these traffic
safety campaigns is a great way to get an important message out to
the driving public," said Blagojevich. "This high-profile weekend
will provide an excellent opportunity to make sure everyone buckles
their safety belts and that no one drives while impaired."
Illinois is the first state to formally pilot such a program with
NASCAR, an initiative that will provide valuable fan outreach
components. Fans will be invited to sign the Buckle Up America
pledge: "I Pledge to BUCKLE UP, Every Trip, Every Time and that all
passengers in my vehicle will be properly restrained at all times."
Adult NASCAR fans will also have the opportunity to sign the Friends
Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk pledge, which includes agreeing to
being or always having a designated driver. Fans who take the pledge
to be a sober designated driver at the race will be entered into
random prize drawings.
Fans will also be able to sign an online pledge at www.dot.il.gov/safety.html
and send their pledges to IDOT to be entered into the random
drawings, which will take place prior to the Sprint Cup race at
Chicagoland Speedway the evening of July 12.
"We know the racing on the track will be exciting, but off the
track we want to make sure everyone plays it safe and gets where
they need to go without incident," said IDOT Secretary Milton R.
Sees. "We are very happy to be able to partner with NASCAR on these
safety initiatives, and look forward to a big response from race
fans."
Race fans will also have the opportunity to participate in the
Buckle Up America Challenge by signing the Buckle Up America
pledge and downloading an online version. The goal is for
participants to encourage family members, friends, schoolmates,
co-workers and others to join them in the commitment to wear their
safety belt every time they get into a vehicle.
IDOT will also invite racing teams, drivers and their corporate
sponsors to join the efforts and support the two safety initiatives
by offering prizes and benefits for fans who pledge, and by helping
carry these traffic safety messages.
"The pilot program with IDOT builds on NASCAR's partnership with
NHTSA and represents the kind of relationship we are excited to
build," said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR managing director of public
affairs. "We will reach millions of NASCAR fans with lifesaving
messages, while enhancing the NASCAR fan experience. It's a win-win
for everyone."
"Teaming up with a state partner to become the first NASCAR venue
to officially embrace a high-profile designated driver message is
something we are very proud of," said Matthew Alexander, president
of Chicagoland Speedway. "Reminding our fans to put safety first
during our NASCAR race weekend is just another way of helping us
achieve a goal we set for our facility every year: consistently
providing our fans with a very exciting and safe experience all
weekend long."
The 2008 program is a continuation of IDOT's successful
partnership with NASCAR and the Chicagoland Speedway; in 2007, the
partnership successfully promoted the message of "Buckle Up, Every
Trip, Every Time," with the Buckle Up America Challenge facilitated
by Blu Moon Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit that serves
the public interest through creating, managing and collaborating on
cause-related educational programs and national campaigns.
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Buckle Up America
is a campaign coordinated by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration to encourage proper safety belt and child safety seat
use in the United States.
Blu Moon Group is a strategic marketing and communications firm
that specializes in sport, entertainment and cause marketing. Core
services include strategic plan development, program and campaign
development and management, integrated brand management, sponsorship
procurement, facilitation of relationships with key stakeholders,
and project public relations.
Blu Moon Foundation is a California-based nonprofit organization
(#35-2301325) and is the public benefit component of Blu Moon Group.
Its mission is to advance cause marketing through the creation and
management of cause-related educational programs and national
campaigns.
Chicagoland
Speedway and Route 66 Raceway are wholly owned by International
Speedway Corp., a leading promoter of motor sports activities. ISC
owns or operates 13 of the nation's major motor sports entertainment
facilities, including Daytona International Speedway, home of the
Daytona 500, and owns or has interest in a number of other motor
sports-related businesses.
The mission of the Illinois
Department of Transportation is to provide safe, cost-effective
transportation for Illinois in ways that enhance quality of life,
promote economic prosperity and demonstrate respect for our
environment. The department aims to accomplish its mission while
making the following principles the hallmark of all its work:
safety, integrity, responsiveness, quality and innovation.
NASCAR began in 1948 and is
the sanctioning body for one of America's premier sports. NASCAR is
the No. 1 spectator sport in the U.S. -- with 17 of the top 20
highest-attended sporting events in the U.S., the No. 2-rated
regular-season sport on network TV with broadcasts in 150 countries,
and a fan base that purchases more than $2 billion in annual
licensed product sales. These fans are the most brand-loyal in all
of sports, and as a result, more Fortune 500 companies participate
in NASCAR than any other sport.
The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, under the
U.S. Department of Transportation, was established by the
Highway Safety Act of 1970, as the successor to the National Highway
Safety Bureau, to carry out safety programs under the National
Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 and the Highway Safety
Act of 1966. The traffic safety alliance between the U.S. Department
of Transportation and NASCAR leverages their combined resources to
encourage all race fans to take the same common-sense approach to
auto safety that NASCAR follows on the track.
[Text from file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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