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 Treat Yourself to a Vacation at AAA Travel Marketplace By Mark A. Shaw |
| Travel forecasters predict that people are more likely to travel in 2010 than they were last year. As a AAA member, there’s no time like now to book a trip — whether it’s a quick escape or the vacation of your dreams because AAA Travel Marketplace is being held March 5-7 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. Cruise lines, tour operators, hotels and attractions are all going to be at AAA Travel Marketplace, and that translates to better pricing and value for you! Inside Gillette Stadium’s Fidelity Investments Clubhouse, the world will be at your fingertips. You’ll find three floors of exhibitors and presentations on destinations spanning the entire globe. If you’re looking afar, explore Australia and New Zealand, say “ciao” to Italy, discover the Holy Lands or venture off on an African safari. If you’re hoping to sail away, ask representatives from the world’s top cruise lines how they can get you to Alaska, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean or the Norwegian Fjords. If you’re staying stateside, check out Las Vegas, the U.S. National Parks or your favorite theme parks like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and Worlds of Discovery. And there are dozens of possibilities for drive vacations throughout Canada, New England, the Mid-Atlantic and beyond. The choices are endless, and AAA’s knowledgeable travel counselors can answer all your questions and help you navigate the options to select the trip that’s perfect for you and your wallet. At AAA Travel Marketplace, you can shop around and book all in one place, all in the same weekend — imagine the time you’ll save. The show is loaded with travel discounts and benefits exclusive for AAA members. Be sure to leave time for the Show Your Card & Save Mall, where you’ll learn about the everyday savings you can enjoy with a variety of AAA partners. Stop by the Patriot Place booth, where you can learn about exclusive discounts some of its stores and restaurants are offering Marketplace attendees. AAA members can get a coupon for $2 off admission by visiting one of our branch offices or AAA.com/travel. It’s been a tough year or so, and you deserve to treat yourself. And with the prices, values and choices you’ll find at AAA Travel Marketplace, now’s the best time to do so.  Back to Index |
Time to Recognize Seat Belts Save Lives By Mark A. Shaw |
| During the time it takes you to read through this month’s copy of AAA Horizons, one person will be killed in a motor vehicle crash somewhere in the United States. The odds are better than 50-50 that person won’t be wearing a seat belt. Surprised? I’m guessing you’re not. From billboards to television and radio public service announcements, we constantly receive messages telling us the value of wearing seat belts. And with a national compliance rate of 84 percent, it’s clear that most drivers are getting the message. But let’s look at the seat belt usage numbers a little closer in southern New England. Connecticut, at almost 86 percent, is a little ahead of the national average. In neighboring Massachusetts and Rhode Island, however, the usage rate is 12 percentage points less, at 74 percent. Why the difference? All three states have mandatory seat belt laws – what’s different is the type of law and how it is able to be enforced. All states in the country (except New Hampshire) have seat belt laws covering all age groups. Connecticut is one of 31 states with a Primary seat belt law, meaning it can stand alone as a violation. Massachusetts and Rhode Island, on the other hand, are Secondary enforcement states, meaning a driver has to be pulled over for another reason before being cited for not wearing a seat belt. That difference is not just a number or a percentage. It’s lives. It’s injuries, medical expenses, property damage and lost productivity. Opponents of primary seat belt laws cite concerns about civil liberties or racial profiling. Those concerns are a legitimate part of the debate, but AAA believes they take a back seat to the public health and traffic safety benefits of everyone buckling up. There are also tangible financial benefits, as both Massachusetts and Rhode Island are losing out on federal highway safety funds available to states with primary seat belt laws. In 2010, AAA, standing alone and as part of several coalitions, will continue to push for strengthening existing seat belt laws. You’ll see us at the State House, working to ensure that legislators are fully aware of the benefits that a Primary Seat Belt Law can provide to all motorists. Closer to home, we continue to require drivers of Club vehicles to buckle up, and through our Safety and Health Team, will conduct an education campaign encouraging our staff to buckle up, every time. Seat belts save lives – there is no disputing that fact. It’s time for all of southern New England to recognize that simple but important reality and make us the safest region in the country. Back to Index |
Teen Driver Rite of Passage By Mark A. Shaw |
| For more than 75 years, American teens have enjoyed a rite of passage when, at the age of 16, they can seek a driver’s license and get behind the wheel. With a new driver’s license from the state motor vehicle department and a set of keys to the family car, teens go from being passengers dependent on carpools to independent drivers. Although prospective drivers seldom need additional encouragement, Hollywood has helped romanticize this process with teens from Andy Hardy to the “90210” cast pursuing exciting adventures as they cruise through films and movies. For screen teens – and often for those in real life, too – getting a driver’s license is a chance to break free of all the rules and parental supervision that stand between them and fun. Unfortunately, this popular view leaves little room for stressing the extraordinary responsibilities every driver takes on, or even the fact that new drivers do not have the experience to help them make good, safe decisions. Good risk management is just one factor involved in keeping teens safe. Parents, grandparents, and teachers can offer – and enforce – other behaviors that help teens drive safely: • Practice with them, even after they’re licensed. Adults in the passenger seat can point out risky situations to teens and provide real-time advice to new drivers. • Keep their friends and other passengers out of the car. Driving friends and siblings is one of the riskiest things a new teen driver can do. • No cell phone usage or texting while driving. Making phone calls – even when using headsets – is one of the most distracting, dangerous behaviors any driver might do, but it is especially risky for inexperienced teens. Texting while driving is even worse. Rhode Island and Connecticut have outlawed this practice for all drivers, and AAA is supporting a similar ban in Massachusetts. • Make teens adjust car controls before setting out. Fumbling with a stereo, climate controls, navigation system or even windshield wipers can distract drivers. Train teens to acquaint themselves with the controls of every car they drive before hitting the road. • Set a good example. From the time they’re infants in their car seats, children look to you for clues about how to behave. Make sure you always wear your seatbelt, and avoid making aggressive or angry behavior or comments aimed at other drivers. Stay focused, serious, calm and, of course, sober when you’re driving. • Start training early. Teaching young children how to be safe pedestrians and bikers and pointing out various traffic conditions can help your kids become more aware of safety. It’s never too early to start them on a safe track. Your investment in your teen’s driving education will pay dividends for a lifetime. For more information on teen driving safety and AAA’s commitment to driver education, visit us at AAA.com. Back to Index |
We’re Working Hard to Bring The Most Value to Your Membership By Mark A. Shaw |
| As we turn the calendar to the last page of 2009, I’m sure many of us are eager to focus on thoughts of a brighter year to come. In this difficult economy, we at AAA are more aware than ever of our responsibility to bring value to your membership. That starts with providing excellent roadside assistance and continues with our commitment to helping you save money in so many ways. Your AAA card is the ticket to savings on life’s essentials — like loans, insurance, eyeglasses and prescription medications — and life’s pleasures —like vacations, movie tickets and shopping. Nationwide, our Show Your Card & Save program puts more than $2 billion a year back in members’ pockets. This year, we invited you to tell us how you’ve benefited from your AAA card, and many of you said the discounts have more than exceeded your dues. We’ve been warmed by stories from members who say AAA has helped them through difficult times. One member wrote, “My husband was recently laid off. His employer had paid every month for his cell phone plan, which included his phone and my phone. Once he lost his job, we not only lost his income but also got hit with an extra $70 each month for phone service. With AAA, we were able to get 13 percent off our T-Mobile bill. In addition, we pay every month for prescription medicine for our cat. I learned that the AAA Prescription Savings program can be used for pets, and we saved nearly 50 percent on Smitty’s medicine.” Of course, our core mission is to offer you peace of mind through roadside assistance. Another member recently told us how AAA saved her day. “I am a visiting nurse, and I was miles away from my normal working area when I got the dreaded flat,” she wrote. “I still had several patients to visit and was highly stressed. I pulled into a gas station and called AAA. A truck showed up within 15 minutes. The driver reinflated my tire and told me it was repairable. He had me follow him a short distance to a repair station. My tire was fixed within 10 minutes for $10, and I was on my way. I lost no time from work, didn’t have to buy a new tire, my patients were happy, and I was delighted!” As the holidays approach, I wish to thank you for your loyal membership and assure you that we will continue working hard to bring you superior savings and service. A happy, healthy New Year to all. Back to Index |
AAA-Registry Partnership Benefits All Motorists By Mark A. Shaw |
| Throughout most of 2009, Club members have visited our Newton and Worcester offices to take advantage of what is proving to be a great member benefit – fast and convenient Registry of Motor Vehicles services. This program, pilot-tested in Newton and Worcester, is a win-win for our members, the RMV, and the general public. Our members enjoy the convenience, including the only Saturday RMV hours in Massachusetts. The RMV and the public both benefit from shorter lines at Registry offices. I am pleased to let you know that AAA and the RMV have agreed to continue the pilot program until next March. We would prefer, however, to expand the program to additional Massachusetts AAA offices sooner rather than later. What we have encountered instead is an effort, lead by the Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents, to derail this consumer-friendly program. Given the extraordinary support that our members have shown for this innovative public-private partnership, it’s disconcerting to think that any group would try to obstruct the RMV’s efforts to streamline and enhance their services to Bay State motorists. Let’s look at some of the claims from MAIA (which has lobbied forcefully at the State House) in opposition to the AAA/RMV partnership: AAA shouldn’t have an exclusive program. We agree. If insurance agents wish to provide similar RMV services, that’s not an issue with AAA. In fact, a large Massachusetts insurer has recently collaborated with the state to offer license renewal notification to motorists, a move that AAA applauds. AAA will have access to sensitive information. Registry transactions occur daily at insurance agencies and car dealerships in Massachusetts. We have assured the RMV that privacy of our members’ information will be protected. AAA just wants to steer members to buy insurance. Our service counselors who provide RMV services are a world apart from our Insurance representatives. Members are able to come in and go right to the RMV area without being pressured to buy anything. Only AAA members have access to this program. AAA represents half the motorists in the state, many of whom would benefit from a full rollout of this program. Non-AAA members also benefit when they visit RMV offices – shorter lines for all. The AAA Clubs of Massachusetts continue to work hard in asking the state legislature to allow this valuable program to continue and expand. The MAIA and others also continue to work, behind the scenes, to keep this consumer benefit their private domain. I thank you for the many calls, letters and emails in support of the program, and invite you to visit AAA.com to tell us what you think about the AAA/RMV partnership. A public/private partnership that works, isn’t costing the state or its motorists any money, and benefits our members and the public. It’s worth the effort. Back to Index |
New Strategies for Combating Drunken Driving By Mark A. Shaw |
| You spoke, and AAA listened. Annual surveys indicate that drunken driving is consistently ranked as the top safety concern among AAA members. Despite a lot of good work being done to raise awareness and change behavior, alcohol-impaired driving killed 11,773 people on our nation’s roads in 2008, making it one of the most critical public health issues facing America. AAA has taken a new approach to the ongoing challenge of impaired driving by designing a first-of-its-kind Web site for criminal justice professionals. AAA’s DUI JusticeLink Web site is designed to provide criminal justice professionals with easily accessible, impartial information on a wide range of impaired-driving issues related to the detection, prosecution and adjudication of drunken drivers. Despite tougher laws to address the issue, there has been little progress in reducing drunken driving over the last decade, so AAA partnered with the Traffic Injury Research Foundation to look for other promising strategies. Our research identified loopholes in the DUI system that enable offenders to successfully evade detection and arrest, prosecution, conviction and subsequent compliance with their sentencing. We also determined that criminal justice professionals were not always aware of the latest scientific research, new programs and interventions related to the issue. Launched in April of this year, AAA’s DUI JusticeLink is helping judges, prosecutors, probation officers and law enforcement professionals learn about these challenges in the criminal justice system and offering potential solutions in an effort to reduce drunken driving on America’s roadways. AAA’s DUI JusticeLink Web site also enables AAA to better serve its members and the public by providing information, ideas, contacts and resources to help stakeholders, including you, to become more efficient and effective advocates. Visit AAADUIJusticeLink.com to learn more about the online tool and to see how AAA is working to help reduce drunken driving. Back to Index |
Wide Awake and Ready to Roll? By Mark A. Shaw |
| Reports in the news these days tell a scary story: The United States is filled with busy, productive and very sleep-deprived people. According to the Centers for Disease Control, almost half of all Americans don’t get enough sleep for more than a week every month. Even worse, about 10 percent of people don’t get enough sleep any night. The pressures of today’s society don’t make it easy. BlackBerrys are buzzing on many nightstands. Web-surfing and hi-definition TV have people staying up late, and long commutes have them getting up early. Economic worries have people counting sheep, too — about a quarter of Americans are losing sleep over financial worries, according to the National Sleep Foundation. All of these statistics add up to a tired society — and lots of drowsy drivers. While it’s hard to fault people for working long hours or cutting back on sleep to get more done, the impact of sleepy, less-than-fully alert drivers is dramatic: Drowsy driving contributes to more than 100,000 crashes and $12.5 billion in losses each year. Drowsy driving is so dangerous that police officers report they often mistake sleep-deprived drivers for drunk drivers. In fact, studies show that drowsiness impairs drivers to a degree equal to having a blood-alcohol content of 0.10 percent, a level higher than the legal limit for driving while intoxicated in every state. Crashes that involve drowsy drivers also tend to be particularly severe, since sleeping or unaware drivers can rush headlong at full speed into opposing traffic or obstacles like trees, walls and even buildings. These incidents lead to more than 1,500 fatalities each year. You can use several strategies to defeat drowsy driving: • Get more sleep. Most people need between seven and nine hours of sleep at night to be fully rested. • If you’re drowsy, pull over to a safe spot and nap. A 20-minute nap can refresh a driver enough to continue safely for a short distance. • Avoid alcohol and medications that make you drowsy. • Don’t rely on caffeine or stimulants. They may give you a brief jolt, but your energy level may also drop fast. • Ask passengers to watch for signs of drowsiness in drivers. People face a lot of competing priorities today, and sleep often loses out to other activities. But your safety and the safety of your passengers and other road users should never take a back seat to anything. Back to Index |
Helping Seniors Drive Safely By Mark A. Shaw |
| As a member of AAA’s national Board of Directors, I’ve had the pleasure of representing our Club on the Board’s Public Affairs committee. It is there that AAA Clubs throughout the country discuss important advocacy issues such as transportation funding, energy policy and teen driving. Another area of great interest to AAA is senior mobility. Simply put, as the population lives longer, the driving population will drive longer. The challenge is to help our older drivers stay on the road as safely as possible. Recent highly publicized cases in Massachusetts involving older drivers in crashes has made this mission even more of a challenge, with emotions fueling an almost daily debate on mandatory retesting of drivers at a certain age. While AAA has been part of that debate, we, and our AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, are also looking at the educational side of safe driving for mature operators. Toward that end, I’d like to call your attention to a way that drivers can measure their crash risk and find ways to decrease that risk. On the home page of our Club Web site, AAA.com, click onto Crash Risk Evaluation, which will lead you to DriveSharp, a brain fitness program. This new program is particularly beneficial for drivers who are experiencing some effects of aging. Over time, it begins to take the brain longer to process information and our reaction time slows, changes that can hinder driver safety. DriveSharp will guide you through some exercises to help you focus better while driving, keep track of more on the road, and react faster while driving. The program will also offer some options for you to improve those skills. Studies have shown that people who use these exercises can cut their crash risk by up to 50 percent, increase their visual useful field of view, reduce stopping distances, and increase confidence while driving at night or in heavy traffic. AAA has several tools to assist older drivers and their families: our Driver Improvement Program defensive-driving classes; and Roadwise Review, a screening tool that helps users identify declines in safe driving abilities. For information on any of our senior mobility initiatives, please contact our Public Affairs department. Driving is many things: a means of transportation, a symbol of independence, an enjoyable hobby. It’s also a huge responsibility. Every driver should take steps to ensure that they are at their best behind the wheel – for their own safety and for the safety of those around them. Back to Index |
Small Changes Can Combat Aggressive Driving Crisis By Mark A. Shaw |
| According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, for each of the past 15 years 40,000 Americans have died in traffic crashes. These numbers are staggering, but somehow there is a lack of urgency when it comes to improving traffic safety. Thousands of people die on our roads each year and many in crashes involving unsafe behaviors completely under a driver’s control. A recent AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study identified speeding – one type of aggressive driving – as a factor in nearly one in three fatal crashes. The impact of aggressive driving overall is even greater. In fact, the study found that as many as 56 percent of fatal vehicle crashes involve one or more aggressive driving behaviors. In addition to speeding, failing to yield the right of way or to obey traffic signals; making improper turns; improper passing, following and lane changes; illegal driving on the shoulder; and racing were included in the list of aggressive actions taken by drivers. Any one of these actions committed deliberately out of impatience or hostility would be considered aggressive driving. This is undoubtedly a traffic safety concern, as these are driving behaviors in which the average motorist occasionally, or perhaps even frequently, engages. Aggressive driving poses a risk to all of us – not only because we might be victims, but also because many of us are driving aggressively ourselves. Average Americans are engaging in aggressive driving, and many of us frequently engage in the behaviors most likely to contribute to fatal accidents, namely speeding. We can’t reduce the aggressive driving risk until, as individual drivers, we honestly look at our own driving and stop simply blaming other drivers. If speeding and improper lane changes are not recognized as dangerous and unacceptable aggressive driving, the problem will continue to grow. We all need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves if we are that “other guy.” On the positive side, we all have the power to help solve the problem of aggressive driving; leave a little earlier for work or that vacation trip to avoid speeding or racing through yellow lights to save time. The next time you drive, keep in mind the consequences of aggressive driving, and the small steps you can take to prevent them. Together, we can move toward safer roads for everyone. Back to Index |
Registry Services: A Triple Win By Mark A. Shaw |
| One of the most valued parts of the relationship that we at AAA Southern New England have with you, our members, is the feedback we receive every day about our services and benefits, as well as the role we play as an advocate for the motoring and traveling public. A great example of your willingness to let us know what you think has involved our pilot program to provide select Registry of Motor Vehicles services at Club offices. Since late March, members have been able to successfully renew their driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations at AAA offices in Newton and Worcester. We can already tell, just by the number of members using the Registry service, that the pilot will be an unqualified success. Soon, we expect to be discussing with the Registry the expansion of this program to all AAA offices throughout the Commonwealth. We also saw your acceptance of this program when we asked you to e-mail state legislators to let them know that you wish to continue to enjoy the convenience of license and registration renewals at AAA branch locations. Thousands of AAA members sent tens of thousands of e-mails to state representatives and senators, and we greatly appreciate your continuing support. AAA has provided Rhode Island members similar Registry services for several years, and this innovative program is expected to ease the renewal process for the 2.2 million Massachusetts drivers who are also AAA members by expanding locations and hours for renewals. In addition to finding free parking and convenient Saturday hours, members pay no premium to renew Massachusetts licenses and registrations — only the normal fees charged by the state for renewals. When AAA members come to us for Registry services, it will take a reasonable number of customers out of the RMV lines — which will also help non-members. Our experience across the border in Rhode Island has produced happy members, shorter Registry lines and enhanced service to that state’s motorists. One of the first members to use our Newton office said it best: “People are going to be thrilled. What could be better than to come here to AAA? It’s going to be convenient for a lot of people.” That’s the type of feedback we like. The Registry has called this program a win, win, win — for the Registry, its customers and AAA members. We agree. And, based on your feedback, so do you. Back to Index |
Loyal Members Reap Insurance Savings By Mark A. Shaw |
| Since 1995, AAA has worked closely with Commerce Insurance Company to bring safety, security and peace of mind to AAA members seeking auto insurance. Together, we’ve insured more than half a million AAA members in Massachusetts each and every year. Our loyal members come from all over the commonwealth and literally represent each and every city and town. Many have been in the AAA Program with Commerce since it began. Some have just joined recently as they’ve become first-time drivers. Others are entering their senior driving years when maintaining mobility becomes a critically important aspect of everyday life. No matter where they fall on the auto insurance timeline, there is one thing that defines all of our members: Loyalty. Because of their long-standing relationships with AAA, our members have been able to take advantage of exclusive member benefits and additional savings on their auto insurance. A year ago, with change in the Massachusetts auto industry imminent, I had the opportunity to talk with many of our members, most of whom were wondering about what was going to happen to their policies and whether they would end up paying more for their insurance. To a person, I told them that AAA believed that these auto insurance changes would be good for all consumers, but would be especially good for AAA members. And that held true. In fact, about 75 percent of Massachusetts drivers have seen decreases in their insurance bills. But AAA members not only saved outright on their auto insurance, they were also able to take advantage of additional coverage and protection at no additional cost. I urge all our members to be sure they are getting the benefits to which they are entitled. You can visit one of our 35 branch offices or any one of the 500 independent agents in Massachusetts who represent the AAA-Commerce program to see that you are getting your benefits. To help make it easier, we’ve inserted a pullout section in this issue that has a full listing of the independent agents that offer this program so you can find the individual or firm most convenient for you. I have a message for the two million loyal AAA members in Massachusetts: Reach out to your local insurance agent to make sure your loyalty to AAA translates into real savings for you. Back to Index |
Parental Involvement is Key to Safe Driving By Mark A. Shaw |
| One of the most significant developments in driver education over the last several years has been the increase in involvement by parents. And a positive development it is. Look how the landscape has changed for teen drivers. All states now have some form of a Graduated Driver Licensing law, which allows new drivers to receive more supervised practice in their early months and years of driving. Parents are being asked to certify that students have practiced with an experienced driver for a set number of hours, a number that goes far beyond what is provided in typical driver-education programs. And a few states even require that parents take a two-hour course themselves as part of the driver- education process. As a parent, it’s up to you to help your teen arrive at a realistic understanding of his or her obligations and the need to build skills, judgment and experience. It’s easy to overlook, but teens also need your guidance in living up to the responsibilities and obligations that go along with operating a vehicle – such as choosing a safe vehicle, insuring and maintaining it and obeying all laws. Shaping your teen’s driving habits is a great opportunity to reinforce traits that will serve him or her throughout life, including accountability, personal responsibility, respect for people and property, consideration of others, the ability to budget, and an appreciation for actions and consequences. It’s easy to see why teen driving is such an important topic and one of AAA’s major national initiatives. Simply stated, motor-vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for American teenagers. Per miles driven, the crash rate for teens ages 16 to 19 is four times higher than for adults. And the crash risk is even higher during the first year a teenager is eligible to drive. Sobering thoughts, yes, but out of them comes opportunity. Recent studies find that teens demonstrate the safest driving behavior when parents remain involved in driver education even after teens are licensed drivers. Set a good example by always using your safety belt. Invest in driver education from a reputable school. Commit to a practice and introduce privileges gradually. Years as a passenger do not give anyone the skill, knowledge or experience to be a safe driver without additional effort. That effort starts with parents and caregivers, who recognize that safe driving is a lifelong skill, one that it’s never too early to begin to learn. Back to Index |