The AAA (usually read triple-A, or sometimes three As), formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is an American not-for-profit automobile lobby group and service organization. The organization changed its official name to simply the initials in 1997.

History

The American Automobile Association was founded on March 4, 1902 in response to a lack of highways suitable for autos and widespread public disapproval of the automobile and its noise. The organization originally had 1000 charter members, and these original members were generally of an auto enthusiast demographic. AAA’s membership was formed from a number of local and regional motor clubs, and these auto clubs combined forces to create a more powerful organization.

The association expanded its scope of services as years progressed. The first AAA road maps were published in 1905, and AAA began printing hotel guides in 1917. AAA began its School Safety Patrol Program in 1920, and many driver safety programs followed in the decades to come. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, which conducts a large volume of studies regarding motorist safety, was established as separate entity in 1947.

AAA was a sanctioning organization for automobile racing in the United States until 1956. It sanctioned many races, including the Indianapolis 500. After the Le Mans 1955 disaster, AAA decided that auto racing distracted from its primary goals, and the United States Automobile Club was formed to take over the race sanctioning/officiating.

Current operations

The name “AAA” refers to a national consortium of numerous independent automobile clubs. Members belong to an individual club (such as AAA Texas or Auto Club South, for example) and the clubs in turn own AAA. The member clubs have arranged a reciprocal service system so that members of any participating club are able to receive member services from any other affiliate club. Member dues finance all club services as well as the operations of the national organization.

From the standpoint of the consumer, AAA clubs primarily provide emergency road services to members. Clubs also distribute road maps and travel publications, and rate restaurants and hotels according to a "diamond" scale (one to five). Many offices sell automobile liability insurance, provide travel agency, auto-registation and notary services. AAA also offers member discounts at over 100 partners inlcuding many hotels, Amtrak, Hertz rental cars, LensCrafters, Payless Shoes and FTD.com through its "Show Your Card & Save" program.

International affiliates

The AAA has reciprocal arrangements with a range of international affiliates. In general, members of affiliates are offered the same benefits as members of the AAA while traveling in the United States, whilst AAA members are offered equivalent benefits whilst travelling in the territory of the affiliate.

International affiliates include:

• The Automobile Association in the United Kingdom.
• The Canadian Automobile Association in Canada.

Criticism

AAA still lobbies the American federal government and state governments for increased spending on roads and automobile safety, and against gas taxes and emissions regulations. For example, AAA lobbied against the 1990 Clean Air Act and various California emissions laws [1]. They use their large membership (25% of US households) to assert that a large percentage of Americans agree with them. The AAA is also a member of the American Highway Users Alliance, which is dominated by the automobile industry and campaigns against environmental legislation. Their opponents argue that the AAA does not tell prospective members that it is a lobby group, and that the members join in order to have emergency towing privileges, not because they agree with the political positions of the organization, and that the AAA exploits their members' ignorance. Lesser-known competitors like the Better World Club now provide similar membership benefits, but advocate for eco-friendly transportation.

See also

• Maps of the United States

External links

• AAA's official Web site
• AAA's Five Diamond Restaurants (Word File)
• AAA's Five Diamond Hotels (Word File)
• AAA's Public Service Web site
• AAA's Media Resource
• AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report
• AAA traffic reports
• An article critical of AAA