NEW YORK
World Traffic Safety Symposium
1990-2002

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

The Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA) holds its New York International Auto Show (the largest in North America, attended by 1.3 million people annually) at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. Until 1990, there was no traffic safety programming at the Auto Show. Subsequently, the GNYADA asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to help connect the show’s core partners – auto dealers and manufacturers – to the tri-state area’s traffic safety community and programs.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The GNYADA sought to establish an annual symposium that would do the following:

• introduce traffic safety programs to the Association’s membership who ordinarily would not be exposed to these programs;
• introduce traffic safety advocates from the tri-state area to innovative safety initiatives by automobile manufacturers;
• recognize and reward individuals and organizations for achievements in traffic safety; and
• provide a forum for all to learn about the latest traffic safety problems, solutions, and innovations.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

Every year since 1990, the GNYADA has sponsored a day-long World Traffic Safety Symposium about the latest traffic safety issues with an awards ceremony honoring traffic safety leaders and a student design competition.

Planning begins in the Fall (the show is held in April) with representatives from GNYADA, NHTSA, state and local highway safety offices, advocate organizations, and industry members. Initial meetings focus on the topic to be addressed at the Symposium. Previous topics included young drivers; elderly drivers; people with disabilities; multicultural outreach; drowsy, distracted, or impaired drivers; and child passenger safety.

Once the topic has been identified, the planning group is responsible for developing an agenda and selecting keynote speakers and panelists. Featured speakers have included NHTSA administrators, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chairman, auto industry CEOs, and leading safety advocates. Panelists typically represent the auto industry; NHTSA, state, or local traffic safety agencies; and other subject matter experts.

Concurrent with the planning process is GNYADA’s outreach to design schools throughout the nation. GNYADA solicits entrants for the annual auto safety design competition that encourages students to look at ways that safety can impact individuals and communities. Students are challenged to design automotive safety solutions that address the symposium’s topic that year and can win one of five awards ranging from $500 to $5,000. The GNYADA and several auto manufacturers sponsor the competition, and the symposium’s planning group conducts the judging.

The planning group also selects the symposium’s traffic safety award honorees. The group solicits nominations in categories such as community outreach, media, and auto manufacturing. The winners receive recognition and awards.

RESULTS

Typically, 125-150 people attend the symposium each year. Over the past 13 years, both speakers and attendees have shared a tremendous amount of information on a wide variety of traffic safety issues. Participants are able to listen to nationally recognized experts and see the latest vehicle technologies without having to attend national meetings or conferences.

Another benefit is the collaboration and communication between non-traditional partners and traffic safety professionals. This partnership has resulted in the significant involvement of the GNYADA in many NHTSA, state, and local initiatives. For example, GNYADA has underwritten the tri-state child passenger safety conference and the New York City Dept. of Transportation’s (NYCDOT) traffic safety calendar competition. Additionally, auto manufacturers headquartered in the tri-state area (such as Volvo) have helped sponsor various traffic safety initiatives, and traffic safety professionals are now able to identify and approach industry professionals about issues that are important to them.