"Governor George E. Pataki has made traffic safety a top priority in New York State because he knows that it saves lives," said State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Richard E. Jackson, Jr., chair of the GTSC.  "The awards we are presenting today recognize corporations, businesses and organizations that have joined in this effort by voluntarily taking steps to prevent highway accidents and injuries, making New York State a safer place to live."

GTSC started the Partners for Safety Awards program four years ago to recognize traffic safety contributions made by corporations, companies and organizations outside of government.

This year’s Partner for Safety Award recipients are:

• The Delaware and Hudson Railway Police Department, a Division of Canadian Pacific Railroad, for voluntarily assisting the State’s "Operation Lifesaver" program which promotes safety at highway-rail grade crossings and warns of the dangers of trespassing on railroad property. This police unit was nominated by New York State Operation Lifesaver Coordinator Seth Corwin for designing and distributing 200,000 illustrated calendars suitable for school notebooks, and providing staffing and equipment for Operation Lifesaver events, including "Officer-on-the-Train" enforcement and education efforts.

• General Electric Plastics in Selkirk, nominated by Albany County Executive Michael G. Breslin, for sponsoring a variety of traffic safety education events. He noted that the facility’s safety program chair, Eddie Walker, has coordinated his company’s involvement in bicycle safety rodeos, child safety seat projects, and traffic safety shows at local shopping centers.

• State Farm Insurance, nominated by Ann Burton, executive director of Sunnyview Hospital Injury Prevention Services in Schenectady. She noted that State Farm has supported various safety education programs and the Albany County Traffic Safety Awareness Committee, including providing staffing and equipment for bicycle rodeos, child safety seat projects, children’s ID cards, "Safe Kids Week," and the "Safe Summer" program.

• WGRZ-TV News, Buffalo, nominated by the Erie County Office of Traffic Safety for an award-winning "Child Seat Inspection Program." For the past three years, WGRZ-TV and Special Projects Director Mark Buckley have provided free child safety seat inspections for proper use and installation, working in cooperation with the New York State Police, Erie County Sheriffs Department, Erie County Office of Traffic Safety, Rural Metro Ambulance, People Inc., and Buffalo-area Tops Friendly Markets. The program was honored by the National Safety Council in 1998 with its first annual "Excellence in Public Service Award for Highway Safety."

The four winners were selected from more than 20 nominations across the state. The awards were presented at a ceremony at the Empire State Plaza.

The names of the four new Partners for Safety were engraved on an honor roll plaque displayed at the GTSC headquarters in Albany.

"We are pleased to recognize these organizations for going the extra mile on behalf of highway safety," Commissioner Jackson said. "We also hope the Partners for Safety program will encourage other groups to actively join in the effort to prevent crashes, save lives and reduce injuries on our highways."

Previous recipients include AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, U.S. Air Force’s 107^th and 914^th Wings based in Niagara County, Allstate Insurance, Amtrak, Blythedale Children’s Hospital in Westchester County, Conrail, CVS Corporation, Midas Muffler and Brake Shops, Nationwide Insurance, New York State Automobile Association, New York State Association for Pupil Transportation, and Utica National Insurance Group.

The GTSC is the State’s highway safety office. Comprised of representatives from 14 State agencies, GTSC coordinates programs and research that improve traffic safety across New York State.