We have adopted a stringent qualification and licensing program for our drivers, administering driving tests, requiring physical examinations, and examining the driving records of all applicants. For the safety of children who might be playing near our trucks, we have installed a specially designed mirror to improve front view vision at bumper level. Some 25,000 city delivery vehicles have been equipped with these mirrors, and another 15,000 are in the process of being equipped. In addition, we have installed backup buzzers in 15,289 vehicles. These are buzzers that warn anyone behind the vehicle when it starts backing up. As a result, child fatalities in fiscal year 1964 were reduced 64 percent from the previous year— from 14 to 5.

We now conduct a special orientation and training program for drivers of our right-hand-drive trucks.

To stimulate driver-safety awareness and safety competition among postal units, we have, for the past 10 years, participated in the national fleet contest.

In order to encourage suggestions and recommendations from our employees, we have set up joint labor-management safety and health committees at more than 550 of our larger post office installations.

For our postal employee families, we provide information on safe motor vehicle operations through off-the-job safety programs, and we encourage participation in community safety programs.

And, finally, we initiated, in October of 1962, a seat belt program and proceeded immediately into engineering modifications to install belts in all of our postal vehicles, with the exception of the right-hand, sit-stand vehicle which required the development of a specially designed restraining device suitable to that vehicle. Right now, 37,400 of our vehicles have been equipped with seat belts.

SEAT BELT PROGRAM-CONTRACT WITH GENERAL MOTORS CORP. FOR RESEARCH

I think perhaps I should expand a little on this seat belt program, inasmuch as the chairman of this committee has indicated a specific interest in it.

The installation of these seat belts was based on the best engineering information available, but we were not satisfied that this information was adequate. In other words, we proceeded to provide some measure of protection for our drivers, even though we knew that further improvement could be made. The problem was that there has been very little research done in the area of seat belts for trucks, particularly for trucks equipped with special seats such as we use.

And so, we entered into a research contract last November with the General Motors Corp. to test, under impact conditions, the type of belts we had already installed. The results so far show the wisdom of that move, for GM's research people have already uncovered flaws in several of our belt installations-flaws which are now being corrected.

I understand the concern of the chairman over our having to pay for a research project that might well be considered part of the industry's responsibility. But the fact is that such research had not been conducted and we felt that the safety of our drivers justified going

ahead with it ourselves. Undoubtedly we could have waited for industry to get around to it, but I do not like to think of the lives that might have been lost in the interim.

A further consideration was the testing of our little mailsters. Since these are manufactured by small business concerns around the country, it is unreasonable to expect General Motors-or any other automotive firm-to test them for safety factors at their own expense. And it is significant to note that one of the seat belt flaws uncovered by GM was in the mailster.

REDUCTION OF URBAN MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

These, then, are a few of the steps that we have undertaken in our overall safety program. As a result, we have been able to reduce our urban motor vehicle accident rate from 130 accidents per million miles driven in 1953 to 30 in 1964. This represents a solid accomplishment and we are proud of it.

However, we know full well that there is still room for improvement. I think, on the national level, we should improve physical and mental driver licensing standards, intensify our safety research programs increase our support of driver education programs, encourage wider exchange of driver records among law enforcement agencies, and provide for better exchange of highway safety research data. I might say that we have under study right now a psychological testing program such as I remember when I was an Air Force Cadet in the early 1940's in connection with prospective aircraft pilots. We would use this test to weed out the relatively small proportion of drivers who tend to have a very high proneness for accidents before they ever get behind the wheel. We have not completed this study yet. There is some concern about using these kinds of psychological tests. I think they are well worth developing, particularly in an agency such as ours with 133,000 employees actually driving vehicles. We have not come to any conclusion on it yet, but we are working on it at this time.

NATION'S FIRST TRAFFIC SAFETY STAMP

I might also add that in terms of the national highway safety picture we have been very impressed by various organizations around the country interested in traffic safety who have asked us to help focus national attention on the Nation's traffic safety effort. On September 3, in Baltimore, just before the Labor Day weekend, we will have the first day of issue ceremony for the issuance of the Nation's first traffic safety stamp. Because of the many who are interested in traffic safety this appears to be a fruitful use of our commemorative stamp program.

PROPOSAL TO LEASE CARS TO PROVIDE TO RURAL CARRIERS

One other thing that we are doing will depend upon some legislation this year. We have 31,000 rural carrier routes where the rural carrier supplies his own car. In such cases we have no direct control over the safety features of the cars themselves. And so, we are proposing this year, to introduce bills in the Congress, to convert this driver-owned car program to a lease program, where the Government leases the cars and provides them to the rural carriers.

Now, this has implications beyond safety-especially financial implications. But from the point of safety, let me point out that something like 5 percent of these 31,000 cars are over 10 years old. In addition, that about 1,500 to 2,000 of them are in the very small car category, and one of the safety problems is that rural carriers go off and on the highway frequently but many lack the power to move back down the highway as fast as the rest of the traffic.

Senator RIBICOFF. How do these contracts work with rural independent mail carriers? Are they paid on a per mile basis in addition to salaries?

Postmaster General GRONOUSKI. Yes, by statute, the rural carrier gets 12 cents a mile, or $4.20 a day, whichever is higher, for providing the automobile and for full maintenance, gas, oil, et cetera. Under the proposal that we are about to introduce to the Congress, we would contract out for this fleet, either through the GSA or through private industry, depending on which comes up with the best offer. We would provide, among other things, a fleet of cars that has an average of 2 years, none of which will be over 3 years old. These cars will be equipped with all of the safety features that the GSA is planning to put into effect 2 years hence. These are the safety features referred to by Senator Nelson in his testimony.

As I say, there are many implications to this besides safety. But I think it is worth mentioning in terms of the correlation that has been developed between the age and size of the car and the safety factors involved.

EXHIBIT 3

POST OFFICE Department RURAL CARRIERS: PLAN OF PROPOSED CAR EQUIPMENT

Proposed Car

To meet the service, safety, and comfort requirements of our rural carriers a standard size car with this equipment is planned:

Automatic Transmission
Heater and defroster

Windshield Washers

Variable speed wipers

Outside left rear view mirror

Positive crank case vent

Snow tires (winter periods)

Seat belts

Positive traction differential

Heavy duty brakes

Heavy duty rear axle

Emergency flasher

heavy duty front seat

All vinyl trim

Heavy duty shock absorbers
Fadded dash

Fold flat rear seat

This car and its equipment meets or exceeds the safety requirement planned by the General Services Administration insofar as cars with such equipment are currently in production. The G.S.A. requirements pertain to the 1967 model year and the only items not now included are design changes such as standard bumper height.

Of special importance is the provision of heavy duty equipment. Heavy duty brakes mean longer brake wear, greater safety, and less servicing. Heavy duty axles and transmissions mean less "down-time" -- the time in which a vehicle is out of service for repairs. Positive traction differentials will enable the driver of an ordinary sedan to drive the car out of a mud or ice situation which otherwise would cause it to become immobile. The purpose behind this special equipment is to reduce down-time and to keep the cars operating at their maximum capability. Chart # highlights the particular items to be included.