Phoenix, Ariz., January 18, 2011. As the 2011 session of the Arizona State Legislature begins, so does the opportunity to enact important laws that will save lives and improve transportation in the state.

“Despite experiencing a modest reduction in traffic fatalities over the past few years, motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for Americans from ages one to 34,” said AAA Arizona Director of Communication and Public Affairs Linda Gorman. “With this in mind and in keeping with AAA’s mission of safer roads, AAA will be turning our attention to three important issues in the 2011 legislative session. If enacted, these laws will save lives on our roads.”

Below are the issues AAA will closely monitor throughout the session:

Booster Seats – SB 1084

Arizona currently requires children under the age of five to be placed in a child restraint system when riding in a motor vehicle. However, this law has a major loophole, as it fails to protect older child passengers who are too young to be adequately protected in an adult seat belt.

The use of a booster seat compared to an adult seat belt is known to reduce the risk of child injuries by 59 percent in a motor vehicle crash, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS). However, despite its proven effectiveness, Arizona is one of only three states without a booster seat law.

What’s more, the cost of these crashes is high. In 2009, total hospital charges for children ages five through eight hospitalized for a non-fatal motor vehicle crash-related injury totaled more than $4.1 million. More than 75 percent of these charges, totaling more than $3 million, were expected to be paid by Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), according to AZDHS.

Introduced by Senators Gray (R) and Melvin (R) , SB 1084 would require children age eight and younger and four feet nine inches tall or less to be placed in a proper child restraint system as a vehicle passenger. This legislation would fix our flawed law and keep our most precious cargo safe while riding in a motor vehicle.

Roadside Assistance Safety  – SB 1133

Under current law, motorists are required to “move over” to another lane, when safe to do so, in order to provide first responders (police, fire, medical response) adequate space to do their jobs safely.

However, the current law fails to protect motorists who are stranded on the side of the road and personnel who risk their lives to assist these motorists every day.

Introduced by Senator Nelson (R), SB 1133 would expand the current law to protect roadside assistance personnel and the motorists who have the unfortunate coincidence of becoming stranded on the side of the road.

Text Messaging Ban 

Distracted driving is one of the biggest dangers on roads today, with text messaging proving to be the most dangerous distraction of all. According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, drivers who engage in text messaging are 23 times more likely to be in a motor vehicle crash or narrowly avoid one.

AAA cites strong public support for a law banning this practice, as recent polls reveal more than eight in 10 motorists support such a ban. In an effort to make the roads safer for everyone, the auto club is working to pass laws banning text messaging while driving in all 50 states by 2013. This year, AAA Arizona will continue to lobby in support of a statewide ban against this dangerous practice.

“In 2010, bills that addressed booster seats, roadside personnel and text messaging while driving all passed out of the Senate but unfortunately did not receive a hearing in the House of Representatives,” said Gorman. “This year, we are hopeful that our state leaders will carefully consider and support these bills, as they have life-saving potential.”

AAA will track the progress of these issues and other transportation bills being considered during the 2011 Arizona legislature at http://www.az.aaa.com/news/legislativenews.htm.

AAA Arizona, the Arizona affiliate of AAA, provides automotive, insurance and auto travel services more than 800,000 Arizona members.  Annually, AAA’s Emergency Road Service responds to more than 450,000 calls for help on the streets and highways of the state as well as providing insurance, travel, auto repair, discounts and financial services to AAA members.  Since its founding in 1927, AAA Arizona has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.  In 2008, AAA was ranked the No. 1 “socially responsible” brand by Landor’s BrandAsset® Valuator.