President's Message Tony DeNovellis President and CEO Making a stand for teen driver safety Between 1997 and 1999 AAA Colorado and its coalition partners worked tirelessly to get Colorado's first graduated licensing law (GDL) passed. GDL laws help novice drivers learn to drive by controlling their progression toward full, unrestricted driving. The 1999 Colorado law enacted provisions for behind-the-wheel experience and nighttime driving restrictions during both the permit stage and first year of license to provide additional safety measures as teen drivers practiced necessary driving skills. During the first two years that Colorado's GDL was in force, statistics showed an 18% decline in teen driver involvement in crashes and fatalities. Unfortunately, that success did not continue. In fact, the trend has reversed course; something AAA Colorado believes should be addressed. Crash data shows that passenger restriction laws, a key component of several successful GDL systems, are the most effective way to reduce teen crashes, deaths and injuries. In California, where the first significant teen passenger restrictions took effect in 1999, teen passenger deaths and injuries have dropped by 23 percent. One study showed inexperienced teens, driving with one teen passenger, nearly doubled their fatal crash risk; having two or more passengers increased their crash risk five-fold. Colorado's law does not have passenger restrictions; it only limits the number of passengers in a vehicle to the number of seat belts. During the most recent legislative session, AAA Colorado publicly supported and lobbied for HB 1036, a passenger restriction bill, but to no avail. The bill, modeled after the Massachusetts GDL law, placed moderate passenger restrictions during the first six months for newly licensed drivers. HB 1036 was voted down in committee. In the last issue of EnCompass, we asked for your opinion in an informal poll about whether or not AAA Colorado members are in favor of enacting laws to limit the number of teenage passengers driven by newly licensed drivers. Your response: A resounding yes. AAA Colorado will continue its efforts during the summer and meet with government officials, law enforcement agencies, safety groups, parents and teens to build awareness of and support for this issue. We need to make a stand on this-so our teenagers may drive safely and live long and healthy lives. Please feel free to share your thoughts on this very important issue by writing me at 4100 E. Arkansas Ave., Denver, CO 80222, or emailing me at president@colorado.aaa.com. Tony DeNovellis President and CEO Return to Table of Contents

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