July 4 Continues as Deadliest Day on the Road for All Americans

NORTHBROOK, Ill., June 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Independence Day is typically a time for barbecues, family gatherings, and celebrating the birth of our nation, however, for many travelers this holiday it may end in tragedy. According to research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), July 4 is now the deadliest day on the road for all Americans. 

In the U.S., car crashes are the number one cause of death for everyone ages 1-34, with teens crashing four times more often than any other age group. Based on the latest available data, IIHS reports that more than 670 people were killed on July 4 from 2007-2011, which equates to an average of 134 deaths on that day each year.

Teens accounted for six percent of the driving fatalities on July 4, but continue to be particularly susceptible to distracted driving incidents. Recent research from The Allstate Foundation found that 75 percent of teens admit that they find reading and responding to texts distracting behind-the-wheel, which is up significantly from the 49 percent reported by teens in 2009.

"Putting down the phone, never texting while driving and always wearing a safety belt can help make sure that everyone returns home safely after their Independence Day celebrations," said Sanjay Gupta, executive vice president of marketing, innovation and corporate relations at Allstate."It's great to see that teens are evolving in their behavior and perceptions around texting, but our research still found that 39 percent of teen drivers admit to texting behind the wheel and six percent say they do it a lot.  This demonstrates the need for programs that educate about the dangers of distracted driving."

Additional findings from The Allstate Foundation include:

• Teens are watching: 55 percent of teens reported seeing their parents using a phone while driving, up from 37 percent in 2009.
• Do as I say, not as I do: Interestingly, only 32 percent of parents admit to making and answering phone calls while driving.
• Teens feel comfortable speaking up: 87 percent of teens say they would speak up in a car with someone who was driving in a way that made them feel scared or uncomfortable, up from 59 percent in 2009.

Allstate urges Americans to do their part to make roads safer for all families during the Independence Day holiday. Here are three simple ways that parents and teens can help to have a safe holiday:  

• Talk together about driving early and often. Parents should discuss the risks and responsibilities of driving with your child at a young age, and keep talking with their teen before, during and after the licensing process.
• Don't rush the training process. Just because teens have a permit or license doesn't mean they are ready for every driving condition. By easing into the training process, both parents and teens will feel assured they are more prepared for a variety of driving situations.
• Never text or drive distracted. Parents should be positive role models when they're behind the wheel. All drivers can pledge not to text and drive, and help reduce distracted driving deaths and injuries. Parents and teens can take the pledge together at www.facebook.com/XtheTXT

For more information about The Allstate Foundation's teen driving research, visit www.allstatefoundation.org.

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, serving approximately 16 million households through its Allstate, Encompass, Esurance and Answer Financial brand names and Allstate Financial business segment. Allstate branded insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services are offered through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives, as well as via www.allstate.com, www.allstate.com/financial and 1-800 Allstate^®, and are widely known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With Allstate^®." As part of Allstate's commitment to strengthen local communities, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate employees, agency owners and the corporation provided $29 million in 2012 to thousands of nonprofit organizations and important causes across the United States.

SOURCE Allstate Corporation