CAMPAIGN WILL STRESS SAFE DRIVING

What if everyone drove like you?

Joyce Marshall, director of the Missouri Division of Highway Safety, hopes the answer to that question always will be a positive one because of a new traffic-safety initiative announced in Cape Girardeau Friday.

Marshall joined with Cape Girardeau County law enforcement officers to promote the Missouri Millennium Promise, a statewide public-awareness campaign that calls on Missourians to sign a card pledging to be a responsible driver.

The goal is to collect 2 million signatures before 2000. The target group is those 21 to 34 years old, but everyone is invited to participate.

"Crashes are the state's No. 1 killer of people in the 5 to 34 aged group and the No. 4 killer for those aged 35 to 54," said Kris Farris, spokesman for the Missouri Division of Highway Safety.

Included in the promise is a pledge to:

-- Wear safety belts.

-- Use child safety seats correctly.

-- Drive sober.

-- Avoid aggressive driving.

-- Obey the speed limit.

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan said if it weren't for a seat belt he wouldn't have been able to sign his pledge card Friday. In 1980, while responding to a fire, he was involved in a traffic accident. The other driver was looking backwards at the fire and drove into Jordan's lane, hitting his vehicle head on.

"A seat belt saved my life," he said.

Sgt. Brent Davis of the Missouri Highway Patrol agreed. "Using a seat belt is a matter of common sense," he said. "It will absolutely save your life."

The local announcement of the project was made at Cape Girardeau's Procter & Gamble Co. plant. Every day 1,500 employees travel Cape Girardeau County roads on their way to and from the plant.

In addition, hundreds of construction workers and construction vehicles travel the same roads to a plant-expansion project under way.

"We feel a responsibility to encourage safe drivers," said Kathy Brown, P&G plant manager.

"We will be signing people up at fairs and festivals, malls and schools and car dealerships, anywhere we can," Marshall said. "We will also be signing up young people who are the drivers of the future."

Cape Girardeau Police Chief Rick Hetzel said he and other law enforcement officers often hear accident victims say "I never thought this would happen to me." But chances of being involved in a traffic accident in one's lifetime are nearly 100 percent.

Practicing traffic safety is one way to minimize the impact of that accident when it happens.

Jackson Police Chief Marvin Sides said part of the answer to safe driving is responsibility. "You need awareness, patience and understanding while driving," he said.

Farris said perhaps the net result will be a decline in the number of traffic tickets. "Tickets will go down because people are being careful and driving safely," she predicted.