Page 3 - AAA Schuylkill County – AAA Now! – March/April 2018

Driven to Distraction:
Car crash deaths are on the rise and many experts believe driver distraction from smartphones remains a problem.
AAA
Volume 30, No. 2
HEADQUARTERS OFFICE
340 South Centre St., P.O. Box 990 Pottsville, PA 17901 Telephone: (570) 622-4991 1-800-666-SCMC
OFFICE HOURS
Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - Noon
OFFICERS
ROBERT W. WACHTER - Chief Executive Officer GEORGE URITIS - Chairman of the Board DAVID J. HOLLEY - President RONALD DERENZO - Solicitor
DIRECTORS
Wayne S. Hamilton...................... Orwigsburg David J. Holley.....................Schuylkill Haven John Levkulic.......................Schuylkill Haven Lowell P. Martin ............................. Frackville Robert Mills ..................................... Pottsville John D.W. Reiley ............................. Pottsville George Uritis.....................................Cressona
JUDIE KARHAN - Editor
HANS FRUST - Creative Director ANGELA ILICH - Director of Production LORRIE MULHALL - Regional Editor
AAA Now! (ISSN 08988552; USPS 002-243) is published four times a year (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, July/Aug, Nov/Dec) by AAA Schuylkill County., 340 South Centre St., Pottsville, PA 17901. Periodicals postage paid at Pottsville, PA 17901 and at additional mailing offices. A subscription price of $1 per year to primary members is paid through dues.
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to AAA Now! Schuylkill County, 340 South Centre St., Pottsville, PA 17901.
AAA does not endorse any product or service advertised in this publication other than AAA club services and products. The publisher of AAA Now! Does not endorse or make any representations or warranties concerning any service or product advertised in this publication. The published is not liable to any advertiser or reader for any errors or omissions in advertising or editorial copy appearing in this publication, provided, however, that the publisher will print a correction after the publisher has been notified of an error or omission.
TM
GEORGE A. URITIS
Chairman of the Board
Distracted driving can
also be a result of in-car infotainment systems, controlling the temperature, or just taking your eyes off the road. Consumer Reports examines some of the newer remedies that can help keep you safer.
Using a smartphone while driving is a big no-no, but
Some phone companies offer similar driving apps, but all of these are voluntary.
To play it safe, Consumer Reports says pair your phone, put it out of sight and use the voice command features in your car.
“Distracted driving, however, is not limited just
to smartphones. Many newer car models have infotainment systems that can contribute to drivers taking their eyes off the road,” said Consumer Reports Auto Editor Jon Linkov.
Consumer Reports even rates them on ease of
use, including how much they distract drivers, and factors that into their overall car ratings. “Ironically,
at the same time, many car manufacturers are also developing newer technologies designed to make new cars safer,” added Consumer Reports’ Jon Linkov.
For example, lane departure and collision warning systems, and even automatic emergency braking systems, can help distracted drivers avoid dangerous situations. These can be useful, but Consumer Reports says nothing beats keeping your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.
many people do it anyway. In a recent survey, Consumer Reports found 52 percent of licensed drivers who own
a smartphone texted, played music, browsed the web, sent emails, or watched videos.
Many smartphone and tech companies are introducing safety measures for teens and adults while driving.
Apple’s latest operating system includes a mode which blocks alerts for both calls or texts. You can also download apps for iPhones or Androids that allow users to set up automatic replies to incoming calls or texts.
Score Hassle-Free Savings on Special Purchases and Daily Needs
ROBERT W. WACHTER
Chief Executive Officer
More than 80 percent of Americans belong to at least one loyalty program. Month after month, cards clutter up our wallets, points accrue somewhere in cyberspace, and coupons expire, never saving us a cent. Many shoppers are dissatisfied with a scarcity of deals that matter to them
are available in six key categories: automotive; entertainment and travel; health and service; home, office and finance; restaurants; and shopping.
• Name brands. AAA partners include brands you know and trust, such as Sprint, LensCrafters, Dell, Hard Rock Cafe, Papa Johns, Amtrak, 1-800-Flowers.com, Eddie Bauer, Samsonite, HP.com, and more. New partners continue to join the program.
• Travel-friendly. Save on car rental from Hertz, Dollar Rent a Car, and Thrifty Car Rental. Get exclusive discounts on rooms at AAA Preferred Hotels. Find car repair discounts at any of 7,000 AAA-approved auto repair locations.
• A discount GPS. The free AAA Mobile app makes
it simple to navigate to discounts. Search for participating locations, learn how to redeem savings with local businesses; and personalize results to quickly identify discounts you are most likely to use.
Get the most out of your AAA card.
Check AAA.com/discounts regularly for new deals
and limited offers. Download the free AAA Mobile
App from Google Play or the App Store to start navigating to discounts near you. You can also download digital versions of your membership card and AAA Prescription Savings card for easy access in obtaining your discounts!
and the inconvenience of registering, satisfying spending levels and caps, and
tracking usage and expiration dates.
AAA Discounts & Rewards is a hassle-free discount hack. Here are just a few of this benefit’s advantages:
• Easy to use. Start saving now, without registering or qualifying. Keep saving, with no cap on how often you use this benefit. There is no guesswork involved. National partners offer a percentage discounted from your purchase or a flat dollar amount discount on every purchase. Any rules or restrictions are clearly stated on the AAA.com/discounts site.
• Deals you want. Choose products and services you use every day from more than 125,000 local, national, international, and online businesses. Discounts
TAMAQUA BRANCH CLOSING
With deep regret, AAA Schuylkill County closed the Tamaqua branch office on January 31, 2018. The decision to close did not come easily, but was the result of several years of business decline in that branch, along with the changing business environment. Rest assured, despite the branch closing, AAA Schuylkill County, at our main office
in Pottsville, will continue to provide
all the coverages and services our members have come to know and trust.
MARCH APRIL 2018
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