The National Motorists Association (NMA) is for-profit Non-stock corporation lobbyist and special interest group, created in 1982. NMA also operates a small non-profit organization, National Motorists Association Foundation, established in 1999.
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History
The NMA, originally called the Citizens Coalition for Rational Traffic Laws (CCRTL), was founded in 1982 to advocate against the 55 mph National Maximum Speed Law, which was their chief cause until its successful repeal in 1995. The National Motorists Association name was adopted in the late 1980s.
Traffic Justice Program
The NMA encourages motorists to challenge all traffic tickets in court.
To promote this, through its Traffic Justice Program, the NMA offers to pay the fines for customers who challenge their speeding tickets in court and are subsequently found guilty. This offer is limited to US$300, once per subscription year.
The NMA also provides an audio program called "Guerrilla Ticket Fighter" and other web resources to its customers.
Civil Obedience Days
In the 1980s and '90s, the NMA would advertise a "Civil Obedience Day" where some drivers would travel in a caravan at the posted speed limit on a few local highways. The purpose was to illustrate that the current speed limit was unreasonably low. By purposely leaving the far left lane open for cars to pass, the volume of cars passing the caravan and the large amount of cars behind it both proved the point.
Other efforts
In cooperation with GetMADD.com, the NMA offered a $20,000 reward to anyone who could substantiate the NHTSA and MADD's statistics on impaired-driver fatalities.
The NMA operates a speedtrap registry and a roadblock registry where people can post the locations of known speed traps and road blocks. It opposes the installation of red light cameras.
Opposition to Vision Zero
NMA has taken a strong opposition to Vision Zero movements, signing editorials and offering criticism against policies to support the movement's goals.
Corporate status and Foundation
The National Motorists Association is a privately held, Non-stock corporation in Waunakee, Wisconsin. NMA describes itself as a "grassroots advocacy organization." It does not publish membership statistics or funding sources.
NMA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization was founded in 1999 based in Waunakee, Wisconsin, whose mission is to promote "fresh approaches to highway and traffic problems based on reason and sound engineering principles." Its sole program expenses were attributed to "educational materials and related support services to American motorists", for a total of $34,659 (USD) in 2014, and $69,338 (USD) in 2013. NMA Foundation does not have any paid employees.
Previous usage
The National Motorists Association was also the name of an older automobile club in the United States, founded in 1922 which merged with the American Automobile Association in 1923.