Community Outreach

The AAA Northeast Traffic Safety Department offers community outreach programs that help spread the word about safe driving, walking and bicycling for people of all ages. The Traffic Safety Department works with local police departments, school and community centers to reach as many citizens as possible. We are willing to work with specific organizations to tailor courses to your needs. 

 

AAA School Safety Patrol

In 1920, the AAA School Safety Patrol program began, allowing students to be active participants in maintaining a safe walk to and from school. Over 50,000 schools and over 500,000 students worldwide have actively participated as members of the AAA School Safety Patrol. AAA Northeast would like to encourage all schools to initiate their own AAA School Safety Patrol program. This program equips students with the tools needed to ensure they commute to, from and around school safely. AAA Northeast supports AAA School Safety Patrol programs for students in grades 4-8 by providing belts, badges and other items, as well as the Outstanding AAA School Safety Patroller of the Year award.

To register your school or order supplies please visit: www.AAA.com/safetypatrol

Passenger/Pedestrian Safety Assembly Programs

Our 30-45-minute programs feature Otto the Auto or Buster the Teaching Bus in locations where available (and in New York, Bob, a fast-talking puppet). These engaging characters teach children about being safe passengers in cars – who needs a booster seat and why children need to sit in the back seat.  Available for PreK (age 3+) through 5th grade. Pedestrian safety presentations and handouts are available free of charge to businesses, police departments, and school and community groups.

*In the state of New Jersey AAA Northeast can offer police departments pedestrian safety training and enforcement techniques.

OTTO THE AUTO 

This pedestrian safety presentation is designed for students in grades Pre-K-3. The 30-45-minute program utilizes “Otto,” a talking robotic car who teaches students key safety rules, including how to cross the street, the importance of looking ALL ways and ensuring that drivers have seen them.

BUSTER THE TEACHING BUS

Buster loves to teach preschoolers and early-elementary students and campers about traffic safety! Buster will teach students about the traffic safety topics that are most applicable to the students’ age, grade, development level, and school needs. He will start by engaging the students in their pedestrian safety and practicing life-saving skills and habits. This program is available in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts only.

For more information visit: www.AAA.com/BustertheTeachingBus

BICYCLE SAFETY

AAA Northeast aims to educate cyclists of all ages and ability levels on how to ride safely. That also means educating motorists on sharing the road with cyclists. Whether you ride for transportation or recreation, please take the time to review our tips for the safest and most enjoyable ride!

AAA offers loanable Bike Rodeo Kits. Organizations looking to conduct a bicycle rodeo can borrow materials from AAA Traffic Safety. Children are invited to can bring their bikes and helmets to the rodeo and run through a pre-designed course that will help them identify their level of cycling proficiency, as well as noting skills that need improvement towards being a safe rider.

For more information visit: www.AAA.com/BikeSafety

HALLOWEEN SAFETY

AAA offers a variety of safety materials geared for Trick-or-Treaters, encouraging safe pedestrian habits for this very exciting holiday. Some states also offer an assembly program for preschool and elementary school aged children, teaching basics such as making a costume more visible to motorists, good pedestrian habits, as well as Trick-or-Treating etiquette.

Bookmarks and reflective materials may be available in your area. Contact your state representative to see what’s available in your area.

AAA Northeast will send a speaker, free of charge to groups with regular meetings, such as high school health or driver education classes or senior centers, to conduct workshops on various safe driving topics. Groups must have a minimum audience size of 20 participants and should expect the program to last between 45-90 minutes, depending on the topic.  

 

Shifting Gears: The Blunt Truth About Marijuana and Driving

Attitudes about the use of marijuana have shifted in recent years. Marijuana is now prescribed for medicinal purposes and the legalization or decriminalization of recreational marijuana in many states resulted in greater societal acceptance of the drug’s use. This free program for high school health classes from AAA is designed to educate high school students on the risks of driving while impaired by marijuana. This curriculum also intends to correct misconceptions about marijuana’s potential risks to teenagers.

For more information visit www.AAA.com/ShiftingGears or view our online learning module. 

Handling Driving Emergencies

Knowing how to handle driving emergencies is something every driver should know. This program will advise drivers what to do if they break down, how to stay safe on the road, and items to keep in your vehicles.

Distracted Driving

"Drivers spend more than half their time focused on things other than driving" — AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Every day, motorists who read or send a text while driving take their eyes off the road for up to 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that's like driving the entire length of a football field with your eyes shut. Texting - along with other activities like phone calls, eating, drinking, setting your GPS or working your car's entertainment system - takes your mind and your eyes off the road. This program is designed to help all drivers understand the risks of distractions and get tips to avoid becoming a distracted driver.

For more information visit: AAA.com/DistractedDriving

Child Passenger Safety

Car seats and child restraint systems save lives, but only if they’re installed correctly and used properly. It’s a sad fact, but most parents don’t install them the right way. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says two out of every three car seats are misused. It’s not surprising, since car seats can be complicated. Front-facing, rear-facing, 3-point, 5-point, age and height restrictions, the latch system…it may seem like you need an engineering degree to use a car seat properly.  AAA is here to help, with resources and information to keep your little ones safe.

For more information visit: www.AAA.com/SafeSeats

Key Timing- Key Advice for Caregivers

According to research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, most seniors drive 6-10 years beyond their ability to do so safely.  This online workshop was developed to guide seniors and caregivers through the process of “driving retirement” and mobility planning for the future.

Visit www.AAA.com/KeyTiming

Defensive Driving

This classroom program is a nationally recognized defensive driving course held at venues throughout the state. Benefits of attending this course include but are not limited to: getting updated information on traffic and learning techniques to compensate for age-related changes associated with driving. Program attendees will receive a certificate of completion within 10 days of the class and participants in certain states may be eligible for a 2-3-year auto insurance discount.

For more information visit: www.AAA.com/DefensiveDriving

 

CarFit

This program is designed to help seniors achieve a better fit with their vehicle for optimum safety and comfort while driving. A CarFit technician will help you adjust your mirrors, seat belts, tilt wheel, seating position and more. CarFit events are typically held in the spring and fall. Visit www.car-fit.org to find an event near you.

It’s Uber Easy to Get a Lyft

Need a Ride? This program is designed to educate senior drivers on the benefits and steps for “ride-hailing”. This curriculum is also designed to demonstrate how to be safe when using “ride-hailing” apps.

AAA’s Older & Wiser Driver

The 60- minute program titled The Older and Wiser Driver, presents practical information on how seniors can compensate for the physical changes that affect their ability to drive.  The presentation focuses on vision, cognition, physical fitness, and the side-effects of common medications on driving.  Simple modifications to vehicles are also suggested. This workshop can include a demonstration of AAA’s web-based resources via the www.SeniorDriving.AAA.com website which includes Roadwise RX tool which generates a report to warn individuals of potential interactions their prescription or over-the-counter medications may have on their driving. The program is free of charge and open to the public as the goal is to keep seniors driving safer longer! 

With more than 40 years of experience in the automotive field, John Paul has earned the title of “Car Doctor.” John began his career as an automotive technician and maintains his ASE Master Automotive Certification. He is president of the New England Motor Press Association, a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International), chairman of several vocational school automotive advisory boards, and an advisor to the AAA National Automotive Engineering board. He is a regular automotive columnist for The Boston Globe and The Providence Journal newspapers and websites, and has written thousands of articles for AAA, weekly newspapers and automotive publications. He is a regular guest on radio and television shows throughout the Northeast and hosts his own weekly radio show on WROL (Boston), answering wide-ranging questions from listeners, and runs a podcast about car care.