AAA LAUNCHES ONLINE TEEN DRIVING COMMUNITY

NEWS from AAA South Dakota, July 27 – As a way to encourage teens to engage in meaningful dialogue regarding teen driving, AAA has launched an exclusive online social community designed specifically for teen drivers. Teens are invited to log onto www.aaateendriving.com to share their on-the-road experiences with other teens in discussion forums, keep up-to-date on safe driving tips and resources by reading the Teens on the Road blog, vote in polls to see what other teen drivers are doing and enter to win cash prizes in the AAA Teen Driving Public Service Announcement (PSA) contest.  The Teens on the Road blog will feature teen drivers from around the country as well as traffic safety experts providing tips and answering questions posed by teens.

Motor vehicle crashes remain the number one cause of teen deaths. In fact, in 2008, according to the South Dakota Dept. of Public Safety, of the 150 South Dakota drivers involved in fatal crashes, 21 were under the age of 20 and 1,204 of the 6,810 drivers who were injured in crashes were under the age of 20.

“Each year, more teen lives are claimed by traffic crashes than by alcohol, drugs, suicide and violence – combined,” said Mark Madeja, spokesman for AAA South Dakota. “AAA has launched this exclusive online community to serve as a platform for teen drivers to express their concerns and stories and to learn how to become advocates for safe driving.”

As part of the online social community site launch, AAA will host a Teen Driving PSA contest. Teens are invited to create a 60-second PSA designed to build awareness of the biggest issues facing teen drivers. Entry deadline is Aug. 31. The top five PSAs will be posted on www.aaateendriving.com beginning September 16, where the general public will be able to vote for their favorite PSA. Top prize in the PSA contest is $2,000, the second place winner will receive $700 and third place will receive $300. Prizes are courtesy of AAA Insurance.

AAA South Dakota, a not-for-profit organization, provides automotive, insurance and auto travel services to nearly 88,000 South Dakota members. Each year, the auto club responds to thousands of calls for help on the streets and highways of the state and also provides insurance, travel, and financial services to AAA members and the public. Since its founding in 1902, AAA has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA South Dakota can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com.