EXHIBIT 6 REFLECTING DISC (STAINLESS STEEL) MIRROR FOR IMPROVED FRONT VIEW VISION AT BUMPER LEVEL Henry M. Knarr, Jr., Superintendent of Vehicle Maintenance Service, Sarasota, Florida, Post Office, received the Post Office Department's Certificate of Award and the sum of $3,000 under the Department's Suggestions and Awards Program, as official commendation and appreciation for contributing a beneficial suggestion to improve the safety of the Department's vehicle operations. Mr. Knarr's award is the largest to date that the Department has paid an employee for the adoption of a suggestion. He had long been aware -- like other postal officials of the serious problem of having small children wander close to the front end of postal vehicles in areas of difficult vision and being injured when the driver not aware of their presence started off. - - Every style and type of commercially available traffic mirror has been tested by the Department to provide maximum driver front view vision close to the vehicle. None provided the 100% visibility required until Mr. Knarr came up with the idea of using an ordinary stainless steel saucepan cover a pot lid. The full curvature of the polished stainless steel reflecting disc and the absence of a rim, conventional in the construction and design of a glass surface mirror, provided the driver with a full view of the entire front of his vehicle at bumper level. The Department's policy is to install this inexpensive stainless steel reflective disc on all postal vehicles used in city delivery mounted service. Assistant Postmaster General, Richard J. Murphy, Bureau of Fersonnel, presents to Harry M, Knarr, Jr. (rt), Superintendent of Vehicle Maintenance, Sarasota, Florida, Post Office, $3,000 for his safety suggestion for the improvement of front view bumper level vision for postal drivers. The stainless steel disc mirror was an adaptation of Mr. Knarr's suggestion when he observed that a commercially available stainless steel pot lid would provide the degree of vision needed. This is the largest single amount the Department has paid for an employee suggestion through its Suggestion and Award Frogram. Senator RIBICOFF. I will say this, that any Federal employee who comes up with an idea like this should receive recognition. He should get his name in the paper and the general publicity and the commendation that he deserves. Mr. MURPHY. We had a special ceremony for him here in Washington when we made the presentation to him. Senator RIBICOFF. Did anybody know about it except the Post Office Department? Mr. MURPHY. We put out several releases. It was in a lot of newspapers. It had pretty good publicity. REPORT OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PRESIDENT Senator RIBICOFF. You said you would have your report to the President in 90 days. Wasn't the President's directive that all Government agencies should report by March 15? Mr. MURPHY. I don't think the completion of the report is required by that time. I think we received the request just about 3 weeks ago. Perhaps I am mistaken on that. But I know that we are now working on the report and recommendations. The final report has not yet gone forward. Postmaster General GRONOUSKI. I will tell you this, it will be submitted on the date the President wants it. Mr. LANDRY. Senator, I believe the March 15 date related to the report to be transmitted by the Interdepartmental Highway Safety Board. Mr. MURPHY. And that has gone forward. INTERDEPARTMENTAL HIGHWAY SAFETY BOARD REPORT Senator RIBICOFF. Did you furnish information to the Interdepartmental Safety Board? Mr. LANDRY. Not directly. Postmaster General GRONOUSKI. We have a member sitting on the Board. Mr. MURPHY. The Postmaster General is a member. I am his alternative. The Board did have a meeting about 2 days ago. A comprehensive report prepared by the Working Committee of the Board was presented for discussion. The report was amended by the Board and subsequently forwarded to the President. Senator RIBICOFF. What do you think the interdepartmental group achieved with its report? Mr. MURPHY. Well, I will answer for myself. I think that it accomplished a coordination of effort in the Federal highway safety field which does not exist in any other particular mechanism. I think it should be a lot more active than it is; frankly, that is my personal impression. And I think that it is essential to have one coordinating agency which would bring together a comprehensive action program for the Federal Government as a whole. There are many specific items that individual agencies of the Federal Government could be undertaking rather than duplicating efforts. This is exactly what the report of the Interdepartmental Highway Safety Board recommends at this time, specific projects for specific agencies. EXHIBIT 7 INTERDEPARTMENTAL HIGHWAY SAFETY BOARD REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT THE WHITE HOUSE, Washington, D.C., January 30, 1965. Hon. JOHN T. CONNOR, DEAR MR. SECRETARY: In 1964 an estimated 48,000 Americans died in highway accidents. Another 14 million were injured, and economic losses from highway accidents amounted to $8 billion. This staggering toll is clearly a major national problem. The rising cost in life and property must be reversed. I am convinced that a significant national effort is called for. The Interdepartmental Highway Safety Board, of which you are chairman. is currently undertaking a study of the proper role of the Federal Government in the field of highway safety. I ask that the final report of the Board be completed promptly-by March 15, 1965. In addition to clarifying in broad terms the role of the Federal Government, the report should propose a concrete action program. I understand that a meeting of the Board is planned soon to hear reports from its Working Committee and staff. I would appreciate it if you would convey to the members of the Board my deep personal concern over this critical problem and my desire that a coordinated and aggressive approach be developed within the Federal Government. Sincerely, LYNDON B. JOHNSON. QUESTION OF PLACING RESPONSIBILITY IN ONE FEDERAL AGENCY Senator RIBICOFF. Now, there are some 16 Federal agencies with some responsibility in the field of traffic safety. Do you think that the responsibility for this activity should be in one agency? Postmaster General GRONOUSKI. I think certainly, as a big user we have a primary responsibility in our own agency. And while I think we should coordinate with other agencies, this does not relieve us of our responsibility for safety programs in our agency with 133,000 drivers. Senator RIBICOFF. You should certainly keep your responsibility. But the question is the basic responsibility at the Federal level for all the agencies. While you have your responsibility for your Department, should not the basic program be in one department? Postmaster General GRONOUSKI. I hope that after your hearings are over, I will have a better judgment on that. Senator RIBICOFF. Senator Simpson? Senator SIMPSON. Mr. Chairman, this is very interesting to me. When I was Governor of the State of Wyoming, I collaborated with the distinguished chairman, at that time our chairman of the highway safety program at the Governors' Conference; in fact they liked his work so well that they had him do it again. And I had the privilege of serving with him. PROPOSAL TO LEASE VEHICLES FOR USE BY RURAL CARRIERS I am interested in some of the things you have said, Mr. Gronouski. Do I understand that you are exploring the lease proposition, or you have already gone into that? Postmaster General GRONOUSKI. We are past the point of exploration. We are in the process of drafting a bill that we plan to introduce. this session which will call for the leasing of vehicles by the Govern 3 ment for use by our rural carriers. As I have said there are many ramifications to this program within the scope of this committee. Senator SIMPSON. Is it being done also from an economic standpoint? Postmaster General GRONOUSKI. Yes; there is a very substantial dollar saving. And we will have much better vehicles on the highways. Senator SIMPSON. The lessor does the checking periodically under your plan? Postmaster General GRONOUSKI. The contracts would call for full preventive and corrective maintenance by the lessor, as well as furnishing gas, oil, and what have you. NEED FOR SEAT BELTS AND PLACEMENT Senator SIMPSON. You said on page 3 of your statement that "right now 37,400 vehicles have been equipped with seat belts." Let me ask you, does that apply merely to the front seat or the back seat also? Postmaster GENERAL GRONOUSKI. That is the driver's seat. But, you usually don't have, in these vehicles, more than the driver. Senator SIMPSON. Are you talking about seat belts back and front, or just in the front of your passenger vehicle? Postmaster General GRONOUSKI. Mr. Landry? Mr. LANDRY. We are considering only the installation of seat belts in the front seat of leased vehicles for rural carriers. It will be only in the front seat. Mr. MURPHY. Because the carrier cannot carry anyone else in the car with him. In other words, he can't pick up people as he drives a route. So, the only need is for the driver to have a seat belt. Senator SIMPSON. Did I interpret this correctly-was there a feeling that the major and the other car companies were behind in the development of safety devices on automobiles? Postmaster General GRONOUSKI. We felt that there were specific things that were needed to be developed, particularly in our great belt program with respect to the sit-stand drive vehicle, and with respect to the seat belt program for the mailsters-our little three-wheeled vehicles. We thought there was a specific need for development and testing of these seat belts for safety reasons. And since this kind of testing was not being done, the only way to get it done was for us to see that it was done. BURDEN OF COST OF INSTALLATION OF SAFETY DEVICES Senator SIMPSON. You probably recognize, as I did when I was Governor of Wyoming, that the major companies like Ford and General Motors, Chrysler, et cetera, are far ahead of the States, with one or two exceptions. I discovered that these things come slowly because it is a matter of the buying public taking on something. And much of this seat belt business, for instance, has just become acceptable now, and previously, it was sort of a prohibitive cost to the consumer. And a lot of these things will do that, the mirror, et cetera and I am for them-will be tacked onto the price for the consumer; that is just as sure as night follows day. Don't you agree? Postmaster General GRONOUSKI. There is no question that the cost has to be borne by the one that uses it. |