President's Message: September/October 2009

Utah girl, 10, saves a schoolmate's life.

Paula Downey, President of the California State Automobile Association

Paula F. Downey

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Lulu Beltran thought the driver of the oncoming car would notice her yellow green safety patrol uniform as she helped a first grader cross the parking lot at Dixie Downs Elementary School in St. George, Utah, last December.

Then Lulu, who was 10, saw that the driver was talking on his cell phone and she sensed that he might not even slow down. She yanked the first grader back by the hood of her sweatshirt just as the car passed them. Lulu's fast action saved the other girl's life.

In 1935, when such records were first kept, children had the second-highest pedestrian death rate of any age group in the United States; today they have the lowest. Experts credit the AAA School Safety Patrol with helping to bring about this change.

And with schools facing budget cuts, the safety patrol is needed now more than ever, education officials tell us. Teachers say that it provides a cost-effective way to keep children safe around congested drop-off areas at the same time that it teaches leadership and responsibility.

In Northern California, Nevada, and Utah, the AAA safety patrol program has grown by more than 20 percent over the past two years; 555 elementary schools now participate. If you are interested in starting a patrol at your child's school, please visit AAA.com/safetypatrol.

Lulu was one of five youngsters to win the AAA School Safety Patrol Life saving medal this year.

Five children saved. This is why AAA is working harder than ever on the safety patrol and other programs to protect our members and the public. We will continue to work on child passenger safety, teen driving safety, and senior mobility to protect travelers of all ages. And we will keep pushing for stronger traffic safety laws, as we have been doing for decades.

Since AAA founded the safety patrol program in 1920, participants have included future U.S. presidents, astronauts, Supreme Court justices, and Olympic gold medalists.

Now let us add the name of a new hero: Lulu Beltran of St. George, Utah.

Photography by Anne Hamersky

This article was first published in September 2009. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.

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