AAA Commends Confirmation of Elaine Chao as U.S. Secretary of Transportation
January 31st, 2017 by Jessica Souto
(WASHINGTON, January 31, 2017) AAA’s President and CEO, Marshall Doney, has issued the following statement in response to the confirmation of Elaine Chao as U.S. Transportation Secretary:
“I commend the Senate for moving swiftly to confirm Elaine Chao as the nation’s 18th U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Ms. Chao’s commitment to public service is commendable and her previous service at U.S. DOT will serve her well as she advances the department’s goals to enhance the safety, efficiency and accessibility of the nation’s transportation system. AAA stands ready to work with Secretary Chao to identify solutions for transportation safety and funding challenges and intelligent transportation systems, automation and other shared priorities. AAA firmly believes that significant, additional investments are needed to maintain existing infrastructure and to enhance the nation’s system. We look forward to working with Secretary Chao to ensure that our transportation system is safe, reliable and efficient, and that the nation remains globally competitive in a rapidly changing economy.”
GROW America Act Fails to Secure Long-Term Transportation Funding
March 30th, 2015 by AAA
WASHINGTON, D.C, (March 30, 2015) – AAA’s CEO Bob Darbelnet has issued the following statement in response to the Department of Transportation’s introduction of the GROW America Act today, a bill to fund transportation and infrastructure improvements over six years.
“As states begin springtime road construction projects, AAA is pleased that Secretary Foxx and President Obama have put forward a blueprint for improving the nation’s roads and bridges. This transportation and infrastructure proposal promises to keep America globally competitive in a rapidly changing world.
“The goals of the GROW AMERICA Act are commendable. For example, additional funding for NHTSA and its vehicle recall program should enhance driver safety. Improving performance incentives to maintain the quality of the nation’s roads and bridges should also help to restore driver confidence that highways are managed wisely and efficiently.
“Despite these improvements, we are disappointed the bill fails to identify a long-term and viable funding source to address the Highway Trust Fund shortfall. Repatriation of corporate overseas profits might provide an infusion of money for construction and repairs, but it’s a temporary solution that does not solve our funding crisis.
“AAA continues to believe that increasing the federal gas tax is the most effective and sustainable way to pay for roads and bridges in the near term, provided the additional funds are invested in improvements that ease congestion and increase safety.”
AAA Calls for Congress to Swiftly Approve Mark Rosekind as NHTSA Administrator Statement by Bob Darbelnet, CEO of AAA
November 20th, 2014 by AAA
WASHINGTON (Nov. 19, 2014) — “AAA applauds the nomination of Mark Rosekind to be the next NHSTA administrator. Mr. Rosekind’s experience with and commitment to motorist safety will be a tremendous asset to an agency that faces important questions about breakdowns in the recall process and is tasked with overseeing the emergence of vehicle safety technologies. AAA urges Congress to act swiftly to approve this nomination and fill the administrator position that has been vacant for far too long.”
Statement by AAA CEO & President Bob Darbelnet on the nomination of Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx as the new US DOT Secretary
April 29th, 2013 by AAA
(WASHINGTON, April 29, 2013) “AAA is encouraged by President Obama’s nomination of Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx to be the new U.S. Secretary of Transportation. We look forward to working with Mayor Foxx once confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and we are hopeful that he will help make transportation a top national priority. Mayor Foxx will face many challenges because the nation must address a significant transportation funding shortfall, and there are still too many Americans losing their lives on the nation’s roadways.
AAA appreciates retiring Secretary Ray LaHood’s unwavering commitment and bipartisanship in achieving national transportation goals. Secretary LaHood helped raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving and worked with AAA and other stakeholders towards a national goal of zero traffic deaths. His bipartisan efforts also helped achieve passage of a multi-year transportation bill, MAP-21, which included significant program reform and added funds for transportation.”
AAA Statement on Department of Transportation Distracted Driving Guidelines
February 16th, 2012 by AAA
AAA—the nation’s largest automobile club—is encouraged by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) first-ever federally-issued guidelines to automakers on in-vehicle electronic devices. With the explosion of in-vehicle wireless communications technologies, automakers, safety advocates and government agencies must work together to ensure that these products can be operated safely and that they are not simply making it more convenient and more appealing to drive while distracted.
“AAA considers Secretary LaHood’s Phase I guidelines to be a step in the right direction. But available research evidence is extremely limited and highly inconclusive on the real risks that in-car communications technologies pose to drivers, even when systems are limited to voice-activation only,” says AAA CEO and President Robert L. Darbelnet. “Until the weight of evidence suggests that safety risks are mitigated, AAA urges drivers to use caution when using these in-vehicle technologies and strive to keep their hands on the wheel, their eyes on the road, and their focus on the important driving task.”
Additional Resources
This year, AAA and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety are sponsoring groundbreaking research by the University of Utah that will enable AAA to advise consumers about the relative risk posed by various devices and technologies. This study will help inform the wider policy discussion about the role of technology in addressing distracted driving and ultimately help educate motorists through a robust public safety campaign.
AAA and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety have long been leading advocates in educating motorists about the risks of distracted driving. Most recently, AAA launched a legislative campaign in 2009 to advocate for all 50 states to enact bans on text messaging. To date, 35 states have adopted this key traffic safety measure. AAA also partnered with Secretary LaHood and Seventeen magazine to educate teen drivers on the dangers of distraction through the Two-Second Turn Off campaign.
For more information or to view AAA’s videos on distracted driving, visit YouTube.AAA.com.
