National Safety Council Honors American Family Insurance With the 2010 Teen Driving Safety Leadership Award

MADISON, Wis., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- American Family Insurance's Teen Safe Driver Program has earned The National Safety Council's 2010 Teen Driving Safety Leadership Award. Now in its second year, the leadership award recognizes exceptional contributions that prevent crashes, injuries and deaths involving teen drivers.  

The Teen Safe Driver Program is available at no cost to all American Family auto insurance customers who have beginning drivers in their household. More than 9,000 families have enrolled in Teen Safe Driver, decreasing risky driving behavior by more than 70 percent. American Family Insurance worked with DriveCam, a video feedback program that helps parents stay connected with their teen's driving behavior after they get their license.  

"American Family is dedicated to helping families protect the ones they love, which makes this honor especially meaningful to us," said Lisa Bacus, vice president marketing, American Family. "The Teen Safe Driver Program was designed to get parents and teens talking about the issues that beginning drivers face behind the wheel."

Introduced in 2007 in association with DriveCam Inc., the Teen Safe Driver Program provides teens and their parents an in-vehicle video and audio unit that captures risky driving behaviors. Parents log in to www.teensafedriver.com to view the driving report card, video events and coaching tips, including objective, third-party assessment of the teen driver's driving performance compared with other teens.

Automobile crashes remain the leading cause of death for young adults from the ages of 15 to 20, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission.

"With more than 60 million miles driven by teens using this video feedback program, there have been five fewer deaths than would otherwise have been expected according to Fatality Analysis Reporting System statistical data for 16-17 year old drivers," says Brandon Nixon, CEO, DriveCam. "Saving five lives and 500 injuries is due to safer driving and seat belt usage as a result of this program."

American Family Insurance is among four honorees who have received the Leadership Award this year. Other recipients include Harry Jacobs High School, Algonquin, Ill., National Organizations for Youth Safety, Gainesville, Va., and Teens in the Driver Seat, College Station, Texas.

"We are pleased to recognize organizations such as American Family Insurance that are taking significant actions to save the lives of our teens and those who share the roads with them," said Janet Froetscher, president and CEO, National Safety Council. "These honorees were selected from nominees across the nation based on their demonstrated commitment and the measurable impact they had in changing behaviors, enhancing public understanding of the issue, and advocating proven prevention strategies."

The winners received their awards at the National Safety Council Defensive Driving Awards banquet Oct. 2 in San Diego.

About American Family Insurance

Based in Madison, Wis., American Family Insurance offers auto, homeowners, life, health, commercial and farm/ranch insurance in 19 states. American Family ranks 344th on the Fortune 500 list and is the nation's third-largest mutual property/casualty insurance company.

About DriveCam Inc.

DriveCam dramatically reduces fuel expenses and claims costs – while saving lives – by improving the way people drive. By combining sight and sound, expert analysis and driver coaching, DriveCam has reduced vehicle damages, workers' compensation and personal injury costs by more than 50 percent and fuel consumption by up to 10 percent in over 130,000 commercial and government vehicles. DriveCam has analyzed data from over 2 billion driving miles and holds the world's largest database of actual risky driving events, which the company uses to continually improve its proprietary analytics and scoring. DriveCam was most recently listed as #30 in The Wall Street Journal's latest listing of Top 50 Venture-Backed Companies. For more information, visit www.drivecam.com

SOURCE American Family Insurance