President's Message


Tony DeNovellis
President and CEO

Keys2Drive: a new teen driver resource

Why does AAA Colorado speak out on issues such as seat belt usage and distracted driving? Why risk putting off some people who might disagree? Why not simply stick with roadside assistance and oil-change discounts?

Our motto is “Relax. We take care of you.” That’s our promise to you, and it drives everything we do, from roadside help to travel services to insurance. But there’s more to safety, security and peace of mind than having a technician show up with a new battery to get you back on the road. It’s less than comforting if that road is dangerous — either because it’s outdated and poorly maintained, or because the untrained drivers in the next lane put you at risk, too.

That’s why you’ll see EnCompass make repeated mentions of TeenDriving.AAA.com, home of Keys2Drive, a dynamic new website that targets America’s most at-risk and risky drivers. We believe there are three legs to the teen driver safety stool: good laws, engaged parents and superior education.

According to Col. James Wolfinbarger, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, adults hold the key to successful training of teens. “Parents and all adults should model positive behavior, keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes on the road, always wear a seat belt and require all passengers to buckle up.”

Parents should log on to Keys2Drive with their teens and spend time exploring the site before handing over the car keys.

Thirteen years ago AAA’s Licensed to Learn campaign helped establish graduated driver licensing laws in every state. And Colorado’s law, enacted in 1999, is making a difference: 48 people ages 15-20 died in Colorado car crashes during 2008, down 54% from 2003. Nationally, the number of deaths dropped from about 2,200 in 2004 to 1,400 in 2008.

But there’s more work to be done. Teen drivers represent nearly 6% of licensed Colorado drivers, but still they account for more than 11% of all traffic deaths in the state. And motor vehicle crashes are the cause of 51% of all deaths and 31% of injury hospitalizations involving 16- to 17-year-olds.

Keys2Drive is a nationwide AAA initiative that will save young lives. It is an Internet-age resource that will help parents and teens manage the often complex driver training road they travel by providing specific information based on the state they reside in, and where they are in the learning process.

With so many websites competing for their attention, it’s not easy getting teens to look at Keys2Drive, but we’ll do our best to keep pointing more than half a million Colorado AAA members to TeenDriving.AAA.com.

Tony DeNovellis
President and CEO

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