Poll: Public Favors 'Black Boxes'

WASHINGTON – The public overwhelmingly favors an overhaul of federal motor vehicle safety standards, stepped up attention to intersection safety and more frequent license testing for the nation's youngest and oldest drivers, according to a Louis Harris poll released Monday.

Among its findings: A large majority of those surveyed (81%) favors mandatory installation of driver warning systems and "black boxes" in heavy trucks.

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, an alliance of consumer, safety and insurance organizations, commissioned Harris to conduct the independent survey.

In conjunction with the release of the poll, Advocates issued a report titled "Stuck in Neutral: Recommendations for Shifting the Highway and Auto Safety Agenda into High Gear." It provides more than 90 recommendations to reduce deaths and injuries on the nation's highways in the 21st century.

Its findings and the alliance’s report can be found at the Advocates’ Web site: www.saferoads.org.