HIGHROADS Online - May / June 2008

BECAUSE YOU BELONG

TRAFFIC SAFETY
Celebrate Older Americans Month by Staying Safe on the Road

While AAA maintains that driving is a function of ability, not age, we also understand that as people age, they face obstacles that can have adverse effects on their driving, such as deteriorating vision and slower reaction times.

Since May is Older Americans Month, AAA would like to take the opportunity to remind these drivers and their families about some tools to help seniors stay on the road as long as safely possible.

Become educated on the issue. AAA holds free “Keeping the Keys” workshops for members to educate and inform mature drivers on the effects age can have on their driving, as well as ways to maintain their mobility.

Keeping the Keys workshops will be held on May 5, May 19, June 19 and June 23 in Phoenix. Other workshop locations will be announced later this summer.

Make sure the car is a proper “fit.” CarFit is an assessment that offers mature drivers the opportunity to check how well their personal vehicle “fits” them. At the assessment, trained CarFit technicians check to see that motorists have a clear line of sight, properly adjusted headrests, easy access to the gas and brake pedals and more.

Take a driving assessment. Roadwise Review is a CD-ROM that measures the functional abilities shown to be the strongest predictors of crash risk among senior drivers. AAA also offers an online mature operator course for senior drivers. AAA insurance policyholders are eligible for a discount once they complete the online course. Driving MBA, a AAA Approved Driving School, also offers simulator assessments for senior drivers.

To schedule a CarFit assessment, or to reserve a spot in an upcoming “Keeping the Keys’ workshop, call 602-241-2945 or e-mail publicrelations@arizona.aaa.com.

For more information on aging drivers or on any of the tools mentioned above, please visit AAAaz.com/seniordrivers.htm

Advice for Teen Drivers With prom and graduation upon us, summer beckon teens, promising long days free of homework and classes. Along with less responsibility, however, comes an increased risk of teen crashes. It’s understandable that parents could feel a bit uneasy, especially when you consider the startling facts:

One out of every five teens will be involved in a car crash during their first year of driving
Each year, more teen lives are claimed by traffic crashes than by alcohol, drugs, suicide and violence — combined.
Crash rates for teenage drivers are approximately four times higher than for adult drivers.
With three or more passengers, the crash risk for teenage drivers is about three times greater than when driving alone

What’s a parent to do?
As the premier resource for all things teen-driver related, AAA is here to help with the following tools and tips:

Get involved and stay involved. Studies show that a high degree of parental involvement during the learning-to-drive process corresponds to fewer teen crashes.
Attend AAA Arizona’s award-winning “Dare to Prepare” workshop for parents and teens.
Dare to Prepare workshops will be held on May 7, May 21, June 11 and June 25, during the evening, in Phoenix. Other locations will be announced later this summer.

Establish parent/teen contracts that clearly spell out rules, conditions, restrictions and consequences of teens’ driving.

Get help. Find out about TeenSmart, the proven driver safety program for teens demonstrated to reduce teen crashes by as much as 30 percent. Participants who complete TeenSmart will also receive big insurance discounts — up to 30 percent on their teen’s policy.

Visit teensatthewheel.com for a wealth of resources, information on teen driving laws and tips you can use at home with your teen driver.

To reserve a spot in one of our award-winning Dare to Prepare workshops, call 602-241-2945 or e-mail publicrelations@arizona.aaa.com.

AAA Designates Arizona a Strict Enforcement Area Recently, the auto club formally designated the state of Arizona as a strict enforcement area. Under this designation, all AAA members will be cautioned on Arizona’s use of photo enforcement on state freeways and highways. The designation has been added to all electronic TripTik® maps requested by AAA members who travel in and through the state, alerting them of the state’s deployment of fixed and mobile photo enforcement cameras. This is the first time an entire state has been named a strict enforcement area.

AAA believes this will increase awareness of Arizona’s speed enforcement program, thereby serving as an additional tool to encourage safe driving habits. As an organization with nearly 52 million members nationwide and in Canada, AAA believes that we have an obligation to inform members who travel throughout our state that this technique is in place.

There are currently nine Strict Enforcement Area locations in the United States, with the most recent designation occurring in 2005 for Washington D.C.