Autumn Bess
District Office Supervisor, AAA, VA
C: (304) 929-3509
abess@aaa-alliedgroup.com
Motorist Alert: School Starts Soon; Drive CarefullyCurb back-to-school tragedies with AAA’s seven life-saving tips
Beckley, West Virginia (Tuesday, August 13, 2019) - As summer draws to a close, West Virginia students in the area begin their return back to schools across the state. AAA warns drivers to be especially vigilant for pedestrians during before- and after-school hours. Nearly one-third of all child pedestrian fatalities in the United States occur between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Through its annual ‘School’s Open – Drive Carefully’ public awareness campaign, AAA aims to help reduce child pedestrian fatalities and injuries. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling 25 miles per hour is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed as compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just ten mph faster. “It’s that time when motorists need to be much more aware and careful, as students head back to schools,” said Autumn Bess, District Office Supervisor for AAA Beckley. “Kids will be walking and biking to school, getting on and off school buses and in and out of cars in carpool lines. All of these situations create extra hazards for drivers as well as the student pedestrians and bicyclists. In addition, many new, inexperienced teen drivers will be driving to school for the first time, creating additional concerns for traffic safety.” Nearly one-fifth of traffic fatalities of children below the age of 15 are pedestrians, with more school-age pedestrians killed between the hours of 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. than any other time of day. AAA is also encouraging the public to take AAA’s “Don’t Drive Intexticated” pledge against distracted driving. “With more distractions than ever and the school year about to begin, motorists need to make a new commitment to put the phone away and watch out for students," said Bess. Motorists can sign the pledge online at www.aaa.com/dontdrivedistracted. Keep kids safer with AAA’s seven life-saving tips for motorists:
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AAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to 59million members nationwide and nearly 200,000 members in West Virginia.AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years. AAA is a non-stock, non-profit corporation working on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app (AAA.com/mobile) for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information, visit www.AAA.com.
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Lori Weaver Hawkins
Manager, Public and Government Affairs
O: (859) 425-5827
C: (859) 397-8363
lweaverhawkins@aaa-alliedgroup.com