We’re now well into the second quarter of a very exciting 2011 for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. We began the year by taking some of the wonderful research proposals we received last year to our Research and Development Committee meeting for discussion. I’m very pleased to announce that two new projects were approved. One will take a deeper look at the role of cognitive distractions in the car and the other will aim to provide recommendations for improving parental supervision of teen drivers. We are very enthusiastic about the potential of each of these projects as the initial stages of each have just begun.

As we continue moving forward, I am very pleased about the progress and work being done to support traffic safety. Earlier this month, the Foundation and AAA, along with several other transportation organizations, came together to support the launch of the United Nation’s Decade of Action for Road Safety, which is building political support for  reducing roadway fatalities worldwide by 2020. As our contribution to the public launch of the Decade of Action, the Foundation released findings from a recent survey that showed the majority of Americans are in favor of increased government involvement to improve highway safety.

The next few months will be full of activity for the Foundation, beginning with co-sponsoring the third annual summit on Traffic Safety Culture. We also expect to complete the 2011 Traffic Safety Culture Index survey and wrap up several teen driver projects that are in the final stages of completion. Additionally, we’ve made significant strides with usRAP, including the recent completion of a pilot project in Kane County, Illinois.

Finally, I would like to thank all of you for your ongoing support of our efforts to improve traffic safety.  We are committed to making safety a greater priority on our roads and hope that you will continue to help us save lives through research and education.

Very truly yours,

J. Peter Kissinger
President and CEO
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety