AAA Gives Senate President John J. Cullerton “Steering Wheel Award�??

AURORA, Ill.--AAA has awarded Illinois Senate President John J. Cullerton with its prestigious Steering Wheel Award for his longstanding dedication to improving traffic safety laws in Illinois. Over the course of his 31-year career in Illinois public office, Cullerton has championed numerous traffic safety bills including Illinois’ mandatory safety belt law, the Child Passenger Safety Act, the Illinois booster seat law, which requires children to be in child seats until the age of 8, and Illinois’ Graduated Driver’s license bill for teen drivers.

“The legislation he’s spearheaded and passed in Illinois has affected everyone who has traveled on Illinois roads over the past thirty years. Generations are safer because of his leadership.”

The AAA Steering Wheel Award is given to individuals or groups who have advanced the cause of traffic safety either through legislation or education in each state.

“AAA is proud to honor Senate President Cullerton with the Steering Wheel Award for his years of advocating for traffic safety,�?? said Brad Roeber, Regional President of AAA Chicago. “The legislation he’s spearheaded and passed in Illinois has affected everyone who has traveled on Illinois roads over the past thirty years. Generations are safer because of his leadership.�??

In 1985, the year the seat belt law went into place in Illinois, the seat belt use rate was under 16 percent, and as of 2008, the seat belt usage rate in Illinois was nearly 92 percent. Additionally, the number of fatalities on Illinois roadways has decreased by over 41 percent since 1985. The legislation Sen. Cullerton sponsored changed our driving culture in Illinois and helped Illinois reach its lowest number of roadway fatalities since 1921.

“This award is a true honor,�?? Cullerton said. “But I have not earned this recognition alone. Years of hard work and partnership among determined traffic safety advocates – AAA, the insurance industry and transportation experts – have been instrumental in shaping public opinion. It is only because of this consistent work that we have been able to shape responsible public policy in Illinois.�??

AAA Chicago has represented roadway interests for motorists and pedestrians and serves as a leading advocate for various traffic safety and travel-related issues for more than a century. AAA Chicago’s breadth of service includes home, auto and life insurance products; travel-related services, AAA’s Show Your Card & Save program; and AAA membership services, which include emergency roadside assistance. It is part of The Auto Club Group (ACG), the largest affiliation of AAA clubs in the Midwest, with approximately 4.1 million members in eight states. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation, a not-for-profit organization with more than 51million members in the United States and Canada.

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