AAA to Z: A Safety Summit for the Next Generation of Drivers

Our Teen Safety Summits in Boston (Dedham), Connecticut (Meriden) and New York (Uniondale) brought together experts, law enforcement personnel, and hundreds of teens to discuss the risks and challenges faced by teen drivers today.  Our hope is to continue the discussions and help keep all drivers safe.

The speakers’ presentations are available for downloading. Simply click on the links below.  Please feel free to share these materials at your schools and in your communities.

If you have any questions about the Summits or are interested in attending one of our events in 2018, please email kbroadmeadow@aaanortheast.com.

Colleen Sheehey-Church, National President, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
"The Power of You(th)"

Timothy Hollister, Attorney, Author, and Teen Driving Safety Advocate
"Not So Fast"

Joni Siani, Professor, Author & Filmmaker
“Celling Your Soul”

Leah Walton, Safety Advocate, National Transportation Safety Board
“Drowsy Driving”

Evan Levene, AAA Allied Driving Instructor
“Driving with ADHD”

Kristi Ladowski, Stony Brook Trauma Center
“Impact Teen Drivers: What Do You Consider Lethal?”

Jake Nelson, Director of Traffic Safety Advocacy & Research, AAA National
“The Dangers of Vehicle Technology”
“Distracted and Drowsy Driving”

Scott Wellens, Manager, NYU-Winthrop Sleep Disorders Center
“Teens and Drowsy Driving”

Chuck Conroy, Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Representative
"Resources and Partners"

Lloyd Albert, Senior Vice President, AAA Public/Government Affairs
“AAA to Gen Z: A Safety Summit Welcome Remarks” 

Rick Birt, Acting CEO, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
“5 Easy Steps to Change the World”

Jake Nelson, Director of Traffic Safety Advocacy & Research, AAA National
“Distracted and Impaired Driving”

Joni Siani, Professor, Author & Filmmaker
“Celling your Soul”

Michele Ellicks, Community Outreach, Mass Dept of Transportation
“Teen Driving”

Elizabeth Lange, MD, Waterman Pediatrics and Coastal Medical
“ADHD, Anxiety, Advice”

Joni Siani

Joni Siani is an assistant professor at Mount Ida College in Massachusetts where she developed the Media Communications program.  She is passionate social scientist, author and filmmaker who also works in radio and television locally, nationally and internationally.  She is recognized as a leading authority on the effects of technology addiction.  Her book Celling Your Soul and documentary by the same name have received national awards and recognition.

Watch Video

More information: www.noappforlife.com  

Jake Nelson

Jake Nelson is an epidemiologist and the Director of Traffic Safety Advocacy and Research for AAA National.  He interprets fatal crash statistics and translates complex research findings into easy-to-understand language for the media and the general public.  Jake plays a major role in a number of teen driving studies conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

Teen Driving (Gen Z) Presentation

Impaired Driving Presentation
 

Peter Sweet

Detective Peter Sweet served for four years of active duty in the United States Marine Corp before being honorably discharged at the rank of Sergeant. While on active duty, he served in Okinawa, Japan and Quantico, Virginia. Detective Sweet holds degrees in the Administration of Justice and Criminal Justice from Johnson and Wales University. He has been a member of the Cumberland Police Department for 9 years.  where he is currently assigned as a Detective. Det. Sweet has been a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) for 6 years, a DRE Instructor and an SFST Instructor for 5 years. Det. Sweet has Instructed and presented the DRE program in 4 States to several hundred DRE Candidates. In addition he has had the honor and privilege of speaking and presenting at several local Schools and Conferences.  

Presentation

Cathy Andreozzi

Cathy Andreozzi is the Executive Director of the Tori Lynn Andreozzi Foundation. Cathy’s daughter Tori Lynn, a beautiful twelve year old girl with a vibrant personality and a national martial arts champion, was struck and permanently disabled by a drunk driver in 2003.  Since then, Cathy has dedicated her energy and the resources of the foundation to combatting drunk driving.  Cathy also participates in the Zero Fatalities program offered to high school groups at the RI Adult Correctional Institution described in this video.

For more information about her speaking program and the work of the Tori Lynn Andreozzi Foundation visit: www.torilynnfoundation.org

Zero Fatalities Project- Young adults listen to inmates convicted of various vehicular crimes and the families of their victims. Live : https://youtu.be/xPXoBuWTvp4

Dr. Judith Owens

Dr. Owens is director of sleep medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital, and a member of the neurology faculty at Harvard Medical School.  She is an internationally recognized authority on pediatric sleep, and sits on the Governing Council of The World Association on Sleep Medicine.  She is an expert on sleep problems and attention deficit disorder in teens.

Presentation
 

Dr. Elizabeth Lange

Dr. Lange is a pediatrician at Waterman Pediatrics/Coastal Medical in Providence.  She is past President of the Rhode Island Chapter of The American Academy of Pediatrics, and a Past Secretary of the Rhode Island Medical Society.  She is active in many pediatric advocacy and health care reform initiatives across the state.  Dr. Lange completed her pediatric residency at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence.

Presentation
 

Michele Ellicks

Michele has been presenting safe driving workshops for the Massachusetts’ Registry of Motor Vehicles since August of 2000. She chairs the RMV’s Junior Operator License Advisory Board, as well as the Partnership For Passenger Safety’s Older Driver Sub-Committee. She also leads MASSDOT’s strategic highway safety plan for older and younger drivers. The RMV’s Medical Evaluation Form (link to Medical Eval Form-attached) can be used to request a driver evaluation in order to assess the physical or neurological fitness of a driver. Each state has a Medical Advisory Board which guides the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Presentation

Jim Butcher
Jim is chief probation officer in Barnstable District Court on Cape Cod, and has worked in the probation system for 24 years.  Prior to that, Jim worked at the Department of Children And Families. He holds a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Westfield State University.  Jim speaks to young people throughout the Commonwealth through the SCARR program and has addressed more than fifteen thousand people regarding risky driving behavior as a father and victim advocate.  He lost his daughter Courtney in a terrible crash a decade ago; he started a foundation in her name that has enabled more than 900 young people to attend summer camp.  He reminds young drivers of the impact of their choices on not only their own lives but also the lives of the victim, their family and community. 

Teen in court on trial for vehicular homicide of one of the passengers in her car. She is charged with Driving Under the Influence. Live: https://youtu.be/E1Pt9fEwrMw

John Corrigan
Assistant Attorney General John Corrigan has been a prosecutor with the Rhode Island Department of Attorney General for the past thirteen years.  He is the Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor, Chief of the District Court Unit, and Oversees Department Prosecutions at the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal. John has conducted trainings for more than ten years in conjunction with the Rhode Island Department of Health, at the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy, and at police departments concerning impaired driving and chemical test refusal prosecutions.  He is presently cross-designated as a Special Assistant United States Attorney.

70 high schools across the state have hosted RI Attorney General Peter Kilmartin and Assistant Attorney General Corrigan.  

Brain damaged teen speaks out. He was the passenger in a car when the driver got in an accident while texting. Live: https://youtu.be/rwsDQHsalSo

If you would like to host the It Can Wait program in your high school, please contact Amy Kempe at akempe@riag.ri.gov

Emily Stein
Emily is President Of Massachusetts-based Safe Roads Alliance, and has been a nurse for ten years, receiving her Master’s Degree in Public Health in 2011.  Emily began her career in traffic safety after her father was tragically killed by a distracted driver 6 years ago.  Since then, she has worked tirelessly to increase public awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. 

Distracted teen kills a man on the side of the road. Footage from driver and family of victim. Live: https://youtu.be/DZ4GeQK1Pqc

Rick Birt
Rick is the Executive Vice President of SADD’s National Office—Students Against Destructive Decisions.  In that role, Rick leads National Operations and Development efforts, playing a critical role in managing all national programs and field relations, and fostering relationships between SADD and external partners.  Rick also manages SADD’s national youth leadership councils—the student leadership council and college advisory council, and oversees planning for the annual SADD National Youth Conference on Youth Health and Safety.  Rick was the SADD National Student of The Year in 2010. 

Presentation