Allstate Applauds the U.S. Senate and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for Taking a Stand on Teen Driving

NORTHBROOK, Ill., March, 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In a statement released today, Allstate Insurance Company's senior vice president and deputy general counsel Bill Vainisi praised the Senate and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) for passing the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which includes provisions of the Safe Teen and Novice Uniform Protection (STANDUP) Act  (S.528).

"Allstate applauds Senator Gillibrand for recognizing the inherent value in graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws and taking action to save young lives through advocacy of the STANDUP Act. Today, the Senate came together on a critical piece of legislation to pass a surface transportation bill that contains key federal uniform GDL standards and empowers states to establish stronger teen driving laws.

Car crashes are the leading cause of death for young drivers, and we have a real opportunity to enact legislation that can help make our roads safer. This is a bipartisan issue that affects American families across the country. We are hopeful that the House of Representatives will also pass a surface transportation bill that includes GDL provisions from the STANDUP Act (H.R. 1515).

Every state has some form of safe teen driving laws, but most states have not fully enacted all elements of an optimal GDL program. We will continue to work with leaders like Senator Gillibrand to advance the strongest national minimum GDL standards possible and empower states to adopt and enforce these laws to help save lives."

The STANDUP Act creates federal minimum GDL standards for all young drivers to protect them on America's highways and roads. GDL programs allow new young drivers to gain experience under supervised and less risky conditions, addressing several major facets of the teen driving problem.

Through Allstate's Save 11 Campaign, more than 177,000 Americans have already added their voice to a growing chorus of citizens urging Congress to pass this bill and that number continues to grow. Visit facebook.com/save11 to learn how to contact your local lawmakers and support the STANDUP Act.

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer known for its "You're In Good Hands With Allstate®" slogan. Now celebrating its 80th anniversary as an insurer, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help nearly 16 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®.

SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company