AAA a model partner for safe driver education

Whether the message is automotive safety or the need for better roads, AAA has been a leader in educating America's drivers for 108 effective years.

In his State of the Union address a few weeks ago, President Obama outlined three areas where America must excel to secure our economic future: innovating, building, and educating. If you've been reading this blog since then, you're already familiar with many of DOT's efforts to support innovation and build for tomorrow.

Because safety is our number one priority, DOT is also committed to educating Americans about ways to travel as safely as possible, no matter what form of transportation they use.  And thanks to terrific partners like AAA, we've been able to stretch our safety dollars.

A key example of this is our campaign against distracted driving.  Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to meet with the AAA Board of Directors to discuss this important issue.  AAA has been a great partner in the fight against distracted driving, educating its members and teaming up with DOT and Seventeen Magazine to launch a “Two-Second Turnoff” video challenge. 

AAA has developed very effective driver education resources on texting while driving that have been made available free of charge to driving instructors nationwide.  AAA also partnered with the instructional video website MonkeySee to create a series of instructional videos on how to avoid distractions while driving.

This is only one of AAA's several videos on distraction-free driving

AAA has been educating the public about the risks of handheld cell phone use while driving since 1984, and was among the first organizations to do so.  The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety research on driver distraction dates back to 1991--nearly two full decades. 

Since distracted driving emerged in the 1980s and continues to evolve as more information and new technologies become available, AAA has continued to urge motorists to drive safely and avoid taking unnecessary risks.  Their tools have included brochures, public service announcements, surveys, research, public and media appearances and messaging, as well as Internet-based outreach.

Greeting AAA President and CEO Bob Darbelnet

But AAA safe driving education goes way beyond driver distraction. They've got a great interactive Keys2Drive program that helps parents work with their new teen drivers. There are also excellent Winter Driving Tips and a TakeThePledge campaign against drunk and drugged driving. Since 1902, if there is a road safety message, AAA has delivered it.

Particularly in times of fiscal restraint, our ability to rely on organizations like AAA and others makes our mission easier to fulfill. Believe me, everyone at DOT is glad to have such a strong safety partner, and we look forward to continuing to work with AAA to educate America's drivers.

Comments

[mcas]

But bike lanes and sidewalks improve safety.

So, why is AAA trying to prevent the DOT from funding bike/pedestrian projects?

[ann graves]

AAA is not trying to prevent DOT from funding bike/pedestrian project. AAA has always stood for All traffic safety including Bike and Pedestrian Safety. I can still vividly remember the School's Open Drive Safely and Ride a Bike Wear a Helmet AAA posters and flyers given to us a school when I was a kid. These AAA programs still exist today. Your comment and blog link is a misrepresentation from a group that is funded by a group that is trying to position itself as an alternative to AAA. If you are interested in the facts please read AAA's official position:http://www.aaamakingamericastronger.com/AAA_makingamericastronger.pdf

[Walter]

The risks of handheld cell phone:

Driving is a separate activity that requires every moment 100% of the drivers' attention.
It is true that phone while driving impairs concentration of users and the distraction can lead to tragedies on the road.
Now we have concerns because of technical developments in mobile telephony usage multiplies with access to web services.
Should more legislation while developing prevention and education?

[Brochure]

AAA has done a great help in the information drive of safety driving especially on the drive of using cellphone while driving which is mostly he cause of many deaths, car accidents, hit and run and even hitting posts and Bikers, and making more information drive on its safety is a great job done.