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Holiday Travel Highlights Consumers Safety Needs

 

For Immediate Release

HOLIDAY WEEKEND TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS CONSUMER SAFETY

 

NEEDS AND CONCERNS

 

ROCKLEIGH, N.J., April 12, 2001 - The up-coming Easter holiday weekend once again brings consumer's concerns about occupant safety to the fore. In fact, more people will make their automobile purchase decisions based on safety than ever according to recent survey findings.

 

The latest National Highway and Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) figures on occupant safety and survivability, published in the fall of 1999, indicate that while over 4,000 lives have been saved by air bags, and that nearly 11,000 more lives are saved annually through the use of seat belts. Consumer concerns are especially valid during the heavy traffic conditions usually associated with holiday weekends such as this week's Easter Holiday period.

 

"Millions of people will be on the road this Easter weekend, visiting friends and family and we know that they are much more concerned with their safety than ever before,'" said Mark Le Neve, president and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America, LLC.

 

In fact, a national omnibus survey conducted recently by Opinion Research, Inc. and commissioned by Volvo, indicated that safety still plays a dominant role in the American car buyers' purchase decision.

 

Conducted over the weekend of March 29th to April 1st of this year, 1025 respondents (51% female/49% male) were asked four key questions about the role safety plays in the automobile purchase decision and the brand names they most closely associate with automotive safety. The results were as follows:

  • Is automotive safety more important to then it was five years ago?

 

- 70% of the total sample answered "yes"

 

- 67% of all males and 73% of all females surveyed answered "yes"

 

- Respondents 18 to 44 showed a higher interest in safety than those 45 or over

 

- 76% of those responding who had children in their household said "yes"

  • Will safety be among your top three considerations when purchasing or leasing your next vehicle?

 

- 83% of respondents said "yes"

 

- 76% of all males and 89% of all females surveyed answered "yes"

 

- 86% of all respondents ages 25-44 answered "yes"

 

- 87% of respondents with children in the household answered "yes"

 

"Over the years Volvo has worked hard to develop and market some of the safest vehicles available. And we did it even before safety was 'sexy'", added Le Neve. "It is nice to see that we are addressing the consumer's concerns and that we as a company have made people feel safer."

 

Volvo Cars of North America is part of the Volvo Car Corporation of Goteborg, Sweden. The company provides marketing, sales, parts, service, technology and training support to the 328 Volvo automobile retailers in the US and 43 in Canada. The 2001 Volvo automobile line includes the flagship S80 luxury sedan, versatile V70 wagon and rugged Cross Country, C70 coupe and convertible, the sporty, new S60 sedan and compact S40 and V40 models.

 

V2001-16

Contact:

 

Daniel Johnston

800-970-0888

johnstond@volvo.com

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