School's Open, Drive Carefully!

Most kids are finally headed back to school this fall for in-person classes. While that’s great news, it also means drivers need to be aware of more buses, bikes & pedestrians on the roads.

Regardless of the age of your children, parents are key to keeping children safe. Check out our tips to help reduce crashes and incidences that result in injury or death.

Young Children

Children under 10 should be accompanied by an adult.
Model safe behavior by using sidewalks and crosswalks.
Put cell phones away.
Demonstrate how to look all ways before crossing the street and be alert for drivers and bicyclists.

Bicyclists

Cyclists must wear a helmet, no exceptions!

Teach kids to ride in the same direction as traffic and follow all stop signs and traffic signals.
Watch out for cars backing out of driveways, turning corners, or pulling into parking lots.

Teen Drivers

Seat belts are mandatory, without exception.
Follow Graduated Driver License guidelines.
Set rules - with consequences - for speeding, cell phone use, and the number of passengers.
Consider entering into a parent-teen driving agreement so expectations are clear.
Ask for a text or call when teens arrive at their destinations.
Keep a safe distance from school buses, as they can block a cyclist's or pedestrian's view of traffic.

AAA is leading the charge to reduce distracted driving on our roads.

Distracted driving is a growing problem among motorists. While cell phone use is one of the top reasons, there are many visual and mental distractions that affect your ability to safely operate a vehicle, including the built-in infotainment system, navigation apps, eating and drinking, and other passengers in your car!

AAA is researching how to make vehicles safer, promoting laws to reduce distracted driving behavior, and developing educational campaigns about the dangers. Read on to learn more!

How Distracted Are You?

Impaired driver distracted by coffee and food

"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.

Troubling Numbers

Did you know in-vehicle infotainment systems require more visual and cognitive attention?
They can require up to 40 seconds to program navigation.

Don't Drive Intoxicated

Texting while driving is one of the biggest dangers on the road.
According to a 2017 Deloitte study, Americans check their phones an average of 47 times per day. Texting is the most frequently used smartphone function.

Watch our Public Service Video Announcement about texting while driving.

Do as I say, not as I do.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that almost 90 percent of drivers believe distracted driving is a bigger problem today than ever before.

However, the vast majority of those same drivers report engaging in distracted driving behaviors themselves.

AAA Reveals Latest Research on Vehicle Infotainment Systems

A recent in-depth study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and the University of Utah compared the distractive effect of built-in infotainment systems of vehicles to Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto. While all systems added mental and visual challenges for drivers, the built-in systems were significantly worse in increasing the demands on drivers while behind-the-wheel. The Apple and Google systems required less time and attention, therefore allowing drivers to focus on the road.

The interface design of built-in systems – particularly ones with additional menus and options on touch screens – requires more attention from the driver, and many of these same systems don’t block available features while the vehicle is in motion.