Presidents Message

Focusing on Driver Safety

With the beginning of the next Arizona legislative session around the corner, I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on our unprecedented legislative accomplishments in 2007, and to think about the issues our members and motorists will likely face in 2008.

As we highlighted throughout the 2007 legislative session, AAA Arizona was instrumental in the passage of the Teenage Driver Safety Act. With it, Arizona joined 45 other states that have already established limitations and restrictions on the most inexperienced drivers. In addition to our own lobbying efforts, AAA Arizona put together a 37-member coalition to support the legislation. At a recognition luncheon this past fall, we celebrated enactment of the Teenage Driver Safety Act by honoring three key state legislators: Senators Barbara Leff and Ron Gould and Representative John McComish.

Building on the success of the 2007 legislative session, AAA will continue our legislative presence during 2008. One measure we will watch closely is legislation to prohibit text messaging while driving. This practice is unsafe, and AAA Arizona joins 85 percent of Arizona residents in supporting such a prohibition.

AAA Arizona encourages all motorists to focus attention on operating their vehicles safely. Yet, we recognize that there must be a reasonable balance between traffic safety and modern conveniences.

While legislation in this area is no doubt well intended, educating drivers on the dangers of text messaging will ultimately prove to be the most effective way of addressing this emerging traffic-safety concern. This is especially true for teen and young-adult drivers, given the proliferation of text messaging as their preferred means of communication. We will evaluate any legislation to make sure that motorists’ rights are protected as we all work to make our roads safer.

There continues to be speculation about Arizona’s interest in expanding the use of photo radar on state highways. AAA recognizes the early success of such programs; traffic incidents and fatalities have been reduced when they are in operation.

Traffic safety concerns have been cited as justification for using photo radar on state highways and, accordingly, AAA believes the revenue derived from photo radar should only be used to further that cause — not to support unrelated government programs. AAA is working with municipal and state officials to ensure that any excess revenue from photo enforcement, beyond the cost of operating the program, is directly allocated for the enhancement of traffic safety and law enforcement initiatives.

We will also continue to protect popular member benefits, such as our outstanding car-buying program, as we appreciate that many of our members want alternative ways to purchase their next vehicle.

We are encouraged by our legislative success in 2007, and will continue to focus our attention on protecting motorists’ rights and improving traffic safety throughout the 2008 legislative session.