AAA Releases Transportation Survey Results

Motorists Recognize Highway Funding Shortage and Support Teen Driver Measures

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 11 The Pennsylvania AAA Federation today released the results of a transportation issues survey of AAA members in Pennsylvania. At a press conference in the Capitol, Federation Executive Director Ted Leonard said, "The survey covered a broad range of important topics including: highway safety, teen drivers, road conditions, transportation funding, and consumer issues." AAA members consider routine road and bridge maintenance as the most important projects, followed by construction projects that enhance safety, then building new roads and bridges to add capacity and help reduce congestion. Leonard noted that while a large majority (89%) of motorists believed that the state's highways and bridges are in need of more repair funding, there was little agreement on how to boost the significant additional funding needed. Motorists also expressed traffic safety concerns about drunk, distracted and aggressive drivers, road quality and sharing the road with large trucks.

Pennsylvania AAA members surveyed expressed overwhelming support for teen driver safety measures such as limiting the number of passengers a junior license holder could carry in a vehicle and banning cell phone use by junior drivers. The state House recently passed a bill with these measures. Survey respondents also strongly supported a requirement for school districts to provide driver education to teen drivers.

"The results will help us shape our public and government relations policies on behalf of the travelling public," said Leonard.

The Pennsylvania AAA Federation is an association of the AAA clubs in Pennsylvania with a combined membership of nearly 3 million motorist-members.