America’s “check engine light” is on and problems with U.S. Interstate Highway System will bring country to a standstill if not addressed quickly, according to film that debuts on Amazon and iTunes

If roads, bridges and other parts of the U.S. infrastructure continue to erode at the current rate and trucks are no longer able to safely pass, within only five days our lives would come to a complete halt. The result would be a crippling depletion of food, drinking water, medicine, fuel and other daily necessities. Airports would close, trash would pile up, industrial production would stop, public transit would end and the country would come to a standstill. The reality of this debilitating scenario is examined in “Be Prepared to Stop,” a documentary film about the failing U.S. Interstate Highway System.

“Be Prepared to Stop” debuts on Amazon April 6 and will be released on iTunes later in the month. More information and a preview are available at BePreparedToStop.org.

“Be Prepared to Stop” is a documentary about our absolute dependence on infrastructure, specifically the Interstate Highway System. We rely on those roads and the big rigs rolling down them to supply us with just about everything we use every day. But this round-the-clock lifeline has become so entrenched in our daily routines we don’t even notice it anymore. Now that neglect is reaching a crisis point. Roads and bridges are failing, safety concerns are mounting, skilled drivers are retiring and government action is at a standstill. “Be Prepared to Stop” raises awareness about the impact of this impending breakdown and how it will obstruct the U.S. economy and adversely affect the daily lives of all Americans.

“My grandfather was a truck driver and taught me to respect the professionals driving the rigs hauling everything we rely upon for our way of life,” said Jennifer Clymer, co-director and executive producer of the film. “I am alarmed about the poor state of our highway system and the lack of understanding about how dependent we are on it. I am hoping this film sheds a light on this problem and is a wake-up call that if action is not taken soon there will be significant consequences.”

Co-director and producer Marijane Miller adds, “Our country’s check-engine light has been lit up for years and if something is not done soon we’ll be stuck. Everyone knows the cost of replacing your transmission is much higher than maintaining the one you have. We need to fix this engine that keeps our country running before it’s too late.”

A few facts:

• 32 percent of America’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition and 25 percent of bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. $146 billion in capital investment would be needed on an annual basis over the next 20 years to significantly improve conditions.
• 42 percent of America’s major urban highways are congested, costing the economy an estimated $101 billion in wasted time and fuel annually.
• The trucking industry hauls 10.49 billion tons of freight every year, or 70.1 percent of total U.S. freight tonnage. Rail is next, moving 13.8 percent of the nation’s freight tonnage.
• All goods carried by ship, airplane or train reach their destination by truck. More than 80 percent of U.S. communities depend solely on trucking for delivery of their goods and commodities.
• One out of every 14 jobs in the United States is created or directly affected by the trucking industry.
• 54 million tons of freight move across the nation every day. By 2040 that will increase more than 40 percent.

“Be Prepared to Stop” was produced by Los Angeles-based Delaware Park Productions, Inc. More information is available at BePreparedToStop.org, and on social media @bptsdoc (Twitter/Instagram) and /bepreparedtostop (Facebook). Digital assets and full press materials for editorial use can be downloaded at HonigCompany.com/media. Media can request a full copy of the film by emailing press@honigllc.com.