WASHINGTON, (Dec. 1, 2015) – AAA’s President and CEO Marshall Doney released the following statement today in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s new Renewable Fuels Standard mandates for 2016.

“AAA is pleased with the EPA’s decision to set realistic standards for ethanol consumption in our nation’s fuel supply. These levels should support the continued development of home-grown ethanol without forcing drivers to use E15, a fuel that can void warranties and damage vehicles not designed for its use.

“Today’s ethanol mandate is an effective compromise that balances the needs of consumers and producers. We look forward to working with the EPA and other regulators in the future to ensure that drivers continue to be protected going forward.”

WASHINGTON – The nation saw a slight decline in traffic deaths during 2014. However, an increase in estimated fatalities during the first six months of this year reveals a need to reinvigorate the fight against deadly behavior on America's roads, the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced today.

NHTSA’s Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS) figures for 2014 show 32,675 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2014, a 0.1-percent decrease from the previous year. The fatality rate fell to a record-low of 1.07 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. But estimates for the first six months of 2015 show a troubling increase in the number of fatalities. The 2015 fatality estimate is up 8.1 percent from the same period last year. The 2015 fatality estimate is up 8.1 percent from the same period last year, and the fatality rate rose by 4.4 percent. NHTSA experts cautioned that while partial-year estimates are more volatile and subject to revision, the estimated increase represents a troubling departure from a general downward trend.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 8, 2015) – Advanced automotive technologies and safe driving habits can help older motorists remain behind the wheel longer into their lives, according to two new studies by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. These findings are important because a record 36 million adults ages 65 and older drive in the United States, and this number is expected to increase substantially over the next decade. Recent Foundation research has found that seniors who give up driving are almost two times more likely to experience depression and nearly five times as likely to enter a long-term care facility.

“Permanently giving up the keys can have severe consequences for the health and mental well-being of older adults,” said Peter Kissinger, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s President and CEO. “New technologies and a focus on safe driving can help seniors remain behind the wheel for years to come.”

Car expert Lauren Fix, The Car Coach discusses China, the world's fastest growing car market. Is China's recent rebound a direct effect of a recent tax incentive or does it signal a bigger turn-around? How does the relaxation of the one-child policy affect automotive sales? Learn more about the Chinese automotive market with Lauren Fix.

Nearly One in Three Americans to Take a Holiday Trip This Year

ORLANDO, Fla. (December 15, 2015) – AAA projects the number of year-end holiday travelers will top 100 million for the first time on record. Nearly one in three Americans will take a trip this holiday season, with 100.5 million expected to journey 50 miles or more from home. This represents a 1.4 percent increase over last year and the seventh consecutive year of year-end holiday travel growth. The year-end holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday, December 23, 2015 to Sunday, January 3, 2016.