Following the release of a new study on distracted driving funded by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, AAA in May 2001 announced its 10-point plan for addressing the issue.

1. Launch a national education campaign. AAA and its member offices offer free educational materials such as the brochure, "Drive Safer, Talk Later -- A Guide to Cell Phones and Driving."
2. Work with state departments of motor vehicles to educate novice drivers. AAA will work with state DMV offices to ensure beginning drivers understand the dangers of distracted driving.
3. Demonstrate the risks of distraction resulting from telematics devices. Work with international motor clubs to develop a protocol to demonstrate the risks distraction of various devices. Update: The protocol was completed in 2002 by scientists at the University of Central Florida through a grant funded by the Europe-based AIT/FIA Foundation for Mobility & Society and managed by AAA. It will be used as an educational tool to demonstrate the many additional errors that occur when a distraction is added to the driving task. The AIT/FIA Foundation will disseminate this public awareness tool for use among its member clubs in 2003.
4. Develop voluntary safety standards for telematics devices. Encourage manufactureres to adopt standards for in-vehicle communication devices.
5. Collaborate with policy-makers. AAA will testify at congressional hearings and promote educational remedies to state and local policy-makers.
6. Encourage new research. AAA will encourage the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and other safety organizations to conduct further research to better understand the effects of distractions on drivers.
7. Disseminate current research. Work with the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety to disseminate the results of driver distraction studies to policy-makers and the public.
8. Revise AAA driver manuals. As a pioneer of driver education and one of the world's largest suppliers of driver education materials, AAA will incorporate instruction on driver distractions into driver education programs to include novice driver, driver improvement and older driver programs.
9. Encourage corporations to educate their employees and customers. AAA will work with its business partners and affiliates to disseminate safety information to employees.
10. Educate AAA employees. Communicate regularly with more than 40,000 employees across North America by convening regional employee forums and through internal publications.

To learn more, visit:
Your local AAA club
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
National Highway Transportation Safety Administration

Contact your local AAA office for a copy of the brochure - "Drive Safer, Talk Later -- A Guide to Cell Phones and Driving."