'Save 11' Campaign Seeks to Save Teen Drivers' Lives

NORTHBROOK, Ill., May 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- To raise awareness of the dangers associated with teen driving and help pass critical legislation aimed at curbing teen fatalities, Allstate Insurance Company today announced the launch of "Save 11," a multi-tiered national call-to-action campaign.    

Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of teens in the United States, with an average of 11 teens dying in car crashes each day according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  To help bring national attention to this issue, Allstate is recognizing May 11 as the day to take time to "Save 11."  On this day, Allstate is urging consumers to contact their Members of Congress and peers to drive passage of the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection (STANDUP) Act (H.R. 1895 and S. 3269).  Consumers can get involved by visiting facebook.com/save11 for information and resources on contacting their lawmakers, inviting family and friends to take action, and lending their voices to the vital movement.

Allstate is supporting the "Save 11" consumer action program with a national advertising campaign featuring the images of teenagers who died as a result of motor vehicle crashes incorporated within the number 11.  An explanation accompanying each image speaks to that teen's death, and urges people to take action. The campaign runs through June and incorporates online, print and social media elements.  

"More than 4,000 teens die every year in teen-related crashes. This is a public health risk of epidemic proportions," said Bill Vainisi, vice president and deputy general counsel for Allstate. "We must work together to end this heartbreaking cycle. By reaching out to their Members of Congress, Americans can help pass the STANDUP Act and personally contribute to a reduction in the number of teen deaths."

The STANDUP Act would establish minimum requirements for state graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in states with strong GDL laws, studies have shown these laws reduce teen crash fatalities by up to 40 percent.

The elements of an optimal GDL program include:  a three-stage licensing process; a prohibition of nighttime driving for new drivers; passenger restrictions for new drivers; prohibition of cell phones and similar devices for new drivers; and an age limit of 16 for a learner's permit and 18 for a full unrestricted license.

According to an Allstate Foundation survey of young drivers conducted with the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS), teens say their parents have the strongest influence on their driving behavior.  Among parents who enforce graduated driver licensing laws, fewer of their sons and daughters have been ticketed (15 percent vs. 23 percent) and fewer have come close to being in a collision (56 percent vs. 72 percent).  

On April 27, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the STANDUP Act to the U.S. Senate, with additional members joining daily.  The bill is sponsored in the U.S. House by Reps. Tim Bishop (D-NY), Mike Castle (R-DE) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and currently has 17 co-sponsors.

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate®" slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help more than 17 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