Advanced Driver Protection System Addresses Leading Cause of Truck
Occupant Fatalities
OSHKOSH, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 23, 2007--Oshkosh Truck
Corporation (NYSE:OSK), a leading manufacturer of specialty vehicles,
today introduced the first Side Roll Protection system for
front-discharge concrete mixers on its S-Series(TM) model mixer. The
system is on display at the Oshkosh / McNeilus booth C-6869 at the
World of Concrete in Las Vegas.
"The Side Roll Protection System is an important new safety
technology for the ready mix industry, and it represents a major
commitment as part of our Safety @ 360 degree initiative. This is a
fine example of how we leverage and share technology development
between our businesses to help improve the safety and efficiency for
all our customers. We first installed Side Roll Protection on a
Pierce(R) fire truck and have now applied that knowledge to benefit
ready mix drivers," said Robert G. Bohn, Oshkosh's chairman, president
and chief executive officer.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission
(NHTSA), 60 percent of truck occupant fatalities involve a rollover.
Moreover, in a National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA)
survey compiled in 2003, 136 rollovers by 42 companies were analyzed.
Fifty-two percent of the rollover incidents reported resulted in
bodily injury to the driver and two percent resulted in fatalities. In
addition, it is estimated that each rollover accident costs a ready
mix producer as much as $200,000 in direct and indirect costs.
The Side Roll Protection System uses a roll sensor to detect a
rollover by monitoring the vehicle's roll angle and rate, and then
triggers safety devices in a pre-programmed sequence. In the event of
a vehicle side-roll, the Side Roll Protection System automatically
initiates the following actions:
1. Tightens the seat belt to reduce driver motion
2. Lowers the seat to its lowest position to increase survivable
space
3. Locks the seat down to eliminate movement
4. Pre-tensions the seat belt to position the driver for contact
with the side airbag, and
5. Deploys an inflatable tubular side-curtain airbag that protects
and cushions the head and neck and prevents excessive head motion.
The side-curtain airbag activates in a fraction of a second and
remains inflated for several seconds - enough time to protect the
driver for the duration of the accident. The system was jointly
developed by Oshkosh Truck and Lifeguard Technologies, a world leader
in commercial truck occupant protection.
The Side Roll Protection System also records crash data before and
after a roll event. This helps ready mix producers better understand
and address the reasons for a particular accident event.
About Oshkosh Truck Corporation
Oshkosh Truck Corporation is a leading designer, manufacturer and
marketer of a broad range of specialty access equipment, commercial,
fire and emergency and military vehicles and vehicle bodies. Oshkosh's
products are valued worldwide by rental companies, fire and emergency
units, defense forces, municipal and airport support services, and
concrete placement and refuse businesses where high quality, superior
performance, rugged reliability and long-term value are paramount.
For more information about Oshkosh Truck Corporation, log onto the
company web site at www.oshkoshtruckcorporation.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that the company believes
are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than
statements of historical fact, including statements regarding the
company's future financial position, business strategy, targets,
projected sales, costs, earnings, capital spending and debt levels,
and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are
forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words
such as "expects," "intends," "estimates," "anticipates," or
"believes" and similar expressions are generally intended to identify
forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not
guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks,
uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond
the company's control that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. These factors include the cyclical nature of the company's
markets, the company's ability to successfully integrate the JLG
acquisition, the consequences of financial leverage associated with
the JLG acquisition, risks related to reductions in government
expenditures, the uncertainty of government contracts and the
company's ability to turnaround its Geesink Norba Group business.
Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained
in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
CONTACT: Oshkosh Truck Corporation
Financial:
Patrick Davidson, 920-966-5939
Vice President - Investor Relations
or
Media:
Kirsten Skyba, 920-233-9621
Vice President - Marketing Communications
SOURCE: Oshkosh Truck Corporation
