EnCompass®
The AAA Companion

Pesident's Message

Tony DeNovellis President and CEO

In early January, teen driver safety was voted as one of the top five major issues for the Colorado legislature by several media reports.

I recently joined members of the Teen Driving Coalition at the State Capitol to ask legislators to vote for a teen passenger restriction bill and to tell them that AAA Colorado believes it's the right thing to do.

With us were the parents, friends and family members of Brian Ellsworth, Caitlyn Craig-McLeod, Michael Heykoop and Cameron Taylor Elliot—four teens killed by 16-year-old drivers in two separate crashes on February 28, 2003 and September 15, 2004. I admire, and want to thank, the families for their courage and willingness to display photos of their children, and to speak to legislators of their losses. Their requests that the legislators support the teen passenger restriction bill were heartfelt, sincere and—when successful—will reduce crashes and the loss of more teen lives.

Covering the event were TV and newspaper reporters, who talked to the families and got reaction from legislators.

Also in attendance were AAA members—in the form of more than 6,600 response cards and online support requests that you've sent us. These cards were piled in front of a display of EnCompass teen driver safety articles that were written during the past year. The visual impact of the cards and articles was powerful, and sent a strong message to the legislators that citizens across Colorado support teen driver safety legislation.

The bill under consideration is the Minor Driving Restriction Bill, introduced by Senator Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora. The bill first went to the senate transportation committee, which heard public testimony from AAA Colorado, the Colorado State Patrol, other law enforcement agencies, and family members who had lost teens. The committee approved an amendment to allow a teen driver, in the first year of licensing, to transport family members who are seat-belted, then voted unanimously to pass the bill onto the full Senate. At press time, the bill had successfully passed out of the Senate and was heading for the House.

With luck, by the time you read these comments, the bill will have passed through the House and be on its way to Governor Owens for his signature.

When the bill becomes law, the Teen Driving Coalition will turn its efforts to the challenge of how to best inform educators, driving instructors, parents and teens about teen driver safety and the graduated licensing process in our state. I'm happy to report that the Coalition has gained some new members—Children's Hospital, Denver Metro SafeKids and the Denver Police Department—who will aid in those efforts.

Together, we will make a difference in this critical education process.

Tony DeNovellis
President and CEO