Phoenix, Ariz., Jan. 3, 2011. With the start of 2011, people everywhere have made a variety of commitments to self improvement. Therefore, AAA would like offer its resources and expertise to help teen and senior motorists keep a very important resolution for the New Year – to be safe, collision-free drivers.
“The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that more than 33,000 people died in car crashes in 2009, and that was a downward trend,” said Linda Gorman, director of communications and public affairs for AAA Arizona. “However, any number of lives lost is one too many, so for 2011, we are encouraging drivers to make safe driving their top priority.”
Amongst the riskiest demographic of drivers are some of the newest ones on the road – teenagers. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, drivers 16 to 19 years old were four times more likely to get into a crash per mile driven compared to older drivers. In fact, car crashes kill more teens than suicide, homicide and cancer combined, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
To aid families through their teens’ learning-to-drive years, AAA Arizona would like to offer its award-winning Dare to Prepare program. This free 90-minute workshop gives parents and teens the information they need to know before teens take the wheel, including safety statistics, Graduated Driver’s License requirements, and resources for new driver training. Families can sign up for any of the following workshops or check the Dare to Prepare site for upcoming dates:
- Tuesday, Jan. 11, 6 p.m. – Dusenberry-River Branch Library, 5605 E. River Rd. #105, Tucson
- Thursday, Jan. 13, 6:30 p.m. – AAA Headquarters, 3144 N. 7th Ave., Phoenix
- Thursday, Jan. 20, 6 p.m. – Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale
- Monday, Jan. 24, 6:30 p.m. – Chandler Sunset Library, 4930 W. Ray Rd., Chandler
- Thursday, Jan. 27, 2 p.m. – Apache Junction Library, 1177N. Idaho Rd., Apache Junction
Families can also find more resources on AAA’s new teen driver safety website, Keys2Drive. This interactive site is the premier site for newly licensed or soon-to-be licensed teen drivers, providing state-specific licensing information, national statistics, and driver training tips and resources.
While older drivers tend to practice safer driving habits than their younger counterparts, the collision rate per mile driven rises steadily for drivers 65 and older. And according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, those drivers are involved in more collisions per mile than any other age group except teenagers. The foundation also says that because older drivers are more fragile, their fatality rates are 17 times higher than those of 25 to 64 year olds.
To help older drivers and their families understand the impact age has on driving, AAA offers the Keeping the Keys workshop. This free program identifies common age-related issues and ways to extend safe driving years, and it also encourages individuals to consider mobility solutions for when driving is no longer an option. Older drivers or adult children can sign up for any of the following workshops or check the Keeping the Keys page for upcoming dates:
- Tuesday, Jan. 18, 10:30 a.m. – AAA Headquarters, 3144 N. 7th Ave., Phoenix
- Thursday, Jan. 20, 10 a.m. – Atria Valley Manor, 5549 E. Lee, Tucson
- Thursday, Jan. 27, 2 p.m. – Apache Junction Library, 1177 N. Idaho Rd., Apache Junction
- Monday, Jan. 31, 1:30 p.m. – The Forum at Desert Harbor, 13840 N. Desert Harbor Drive, Peoria
Older drivers and their adult children can also visit AAASeniors.com, a one-stop online source that provides expert advice about how aging affects one’s ability to drive safely. The information and tools on the site are designed to aid in starting conversations, assessing abilities, and improving the comfort and safety of older drivers.
Last year, AAA Arizona served nearly 800 members of the motoring public with its driver safety workshops. To learn more about AAA’s driver safety programs and resources, or to register for a workshop, contact AAA’s traffic safety specialists at (602) 650-2736 or (520) 258-0518, or e-mail publicrelations@arizona.aaa.com.
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.
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