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New study shows that 88 percent of young millennials engage in risky behavior behind the wheel

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 15, 2017) ― A new report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 88 percent of young millennials engaged in at least one risky behavior behind the wheel in the past 30 days, earning the top spot of worst behaved U.S. drivers. These dangerous behaviors ― which increase crash risk ― included texting while driving, red-light running and speeding. These findings come as U.S. traffic deaths rose to 35,092 in 2015, an increase of more than 7 percent, the largest single-year increase in five decades.
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“Alarmingly, some of the drivers ages 19-24 believe that their dangerous driving behavior is acceptable,” said Dr. David Yang, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety executive director. “It’s critical that these drivers understand the potentially deadly consequences of engaging in these types of behaviors and that they change their behavior and attitudes in order to reverse the growing number of fatalities on U.S. roads.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 28, 2017) AAA’s President and CEO, Marshall Doney, has issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s comments about infrastructure during his first address to a joint session of Congress:

“Tonight, AAA is pleased that President Trump has highlighted the pressing need to improve our nation’s aging infrastructure systems. Cooperation from policymakers on both sides of the aisle will be critical in identifying a long term funding strategy to support and improve a transportation system that reduces congestion, improves roads and helps to keep everyone on the road safer.

A strong and robust transportation system supports the nation’s economy and provides Americans with more choices on where to live, work and engage with their communities. The Federal Highway Administration recently revealed that drivers are logging more miles on the road than ever before. This trend only highlights the growing demands facing America’s roads, bridges and tunnels in the future and justifies the need for greater investment in transportation infrastructure today. Funding the nation’s transportation system might very well require a variety of alternative options and new financing proposals that have yet to be fully evaluated. AAA looks forward to working with the president and members of both parties in the House and Senate to ensure that America’s infrastructure system is safe, reliable and efficient.

Lauren Fix, The Car Coach® tells how the technology this year is really aimed at de-stressing the driving experience so that everyone can get to the destination they want. See new features in vehicles such as virtual cockpit, gesture control, cabin watch and activity key at the 2017 New York International Auto Show.

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 4, 2017) – According to a new AAA survey, 64 million American drivers would not be able to pay for an unexpected vehicle repair without going into debt, indicating that some drivers may underestimate the full cost of owning and operating a vehicle. Because some car repairs are unavoidable, and the average repair bill is between $500 and $600, AAA urges drivers to save at least $50 a month for unforeseen expenses, and identify a trusted repair facility before trouble strikes.

“The average cost of owning and operating a vehicle is more than $8,500 a year, and AAA has found that millions of Americans are failing to set aside a car care fund to pay for the upkeep of their cars,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “To avoid a surprise down the road, drivers should budget for monthly payments, insurance premiums, fuel costs and the inevitable expenses of routine maintenance and repair.”

China is the largest automotive market in the world. Plug in hybrids are important for their culture, and also the environment. Plug in vehicles are not only popular in the United States, but also across the world. Learn more about going electric, autonomous vehicles and world wide car tech trends with The Car Coach®, Lauren Fix.

More than 103 million Americans will travel this holiday season

ORLANDO, Fla. – More than 103 million Americans—the most on record—are expected to travel for the year-end holidays, according to AAA. This represents a 1.5 percent increase, or 1.5 million more people traveling, compared with last year. This comes despite one fewer travel day this holiday season. The year-end holiday travel period is defined as Friday, December 23 to Monday, January 2, 2017.

The increase in holiday travel this year is being driven by additional consumer spending, a result of improvements in the labor market and rising wages. Additionally, low gas prices and increased consumer optimism will prompt more Americans than ever to set out on road trips, take to the skies, or board trains, buses and cruise ships to celebrate the holidays.
“’Tis the season for holiday travel, and this year more Americans will travel to celebrate the holidays and ring in the New Year than ever before,” said AAA President and CEO Marshall Doney. “Rising incomes and continued low gas prices should make for a joyous holiday travel season.”

Proposed rule would mandate vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication on light vehicles, allowing cars to 'talk' to each other to avoid crashes

Citing an enormous potential to reduce crashes on U.S. roadways, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a proposed rule today that would advance the deployment of connected vehicle technologies throughout the U.S. light vehicle fleet. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would enable vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology on all new light-duty vehicles, enabling a multitude of new crash-avoidance applications that, once fully deployed, could prevent hundreds of thousands of crashes every year by helping vehicles “talk” to each other.

“We are carrying the ball as far as we can to realize the potential of transportation technology to save lives,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “This long promised V2V rule is the next step in that progression.  Once deployed, V2V will provide 360-degree situational awareness on the road and will help us enhance vehicle safety.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is pulling out all of the stops to deter motorists from driving drunk this holiday season. To spread this urgent safety message, NHTSA is kicking-off its annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign and is working to end drunk driving on U.S. roads altogether through innovative technology called the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS).

“Each year, too many lives are lost to drunk driving, particularly around the holiday season. Now we have an opportunity to prevent future drunk driving tragedies by taking action today,” said U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.  “We want everyone to be safe this holiday season, which is why we’re urging the public to make the right choice, follow the law and drive sober.”

Should I turn into the skid? How much braking distance do I need in a storm? Ice and snow are hitting the road during the busy holiday season. Racecar driver and automotive expert Lauren Fix, the Car Coach® provides important winter driving and safety tips. Share with friends and loved ones who will be driving during the holidays!

Retail averages have increased 28 of the past 30 days and prices have moved higher by fractions of a penny since Friday. The national average for regular unleaded gasoline currently sits at $2.29 per gallon, which is five cents more than one week ago, 16 cents more than one month ago and 29 cents more year-over-year.

Heading into 2017, gasoline demand is expected to drop drastically during the month of January following the busy holiday travel season. Over the past five years, the average drop during that period has been 358,000 b/d or about 15-million gallons, according to OPIS. The oil information service estimates a larger dip this year.