ALL Allstate Corporation

It�s no fluke, residents of Sioux Falls, S.D., maintained their status as the safest drivers in the U.S., according to the third annual �Allstate America�s Best Drivers Report�.� The average driver in Sioux Falls will experience an auto collision every 13.7 years. Compared to the national likelihood of a driver experiencing a crash every 10 years�Sioux Falls motorists are 27 percent less likely to get into a car accident. �The fact that Sioux Falls drivers retained the standing as America�s safest drivers for two years in a row is an accomplishment for which all Sioux Falls residents should be proud,� says Sioux Falls Mayor Dave Munson. �The quality of our community driver education programs combined with the careful consideration of our traffic engineering department goes a long way to make our roadways safe for everyone.� Parked in the runner-up position for the second consecutive year is Fort Collins, Colo. Motorists in Fort Collins experience a car crash every 13.6 years, on average. For the past three years, Allstate actuaries have conducted an in-depth analysis of company claim data to determine the likelihood of drivers in America�s 200 largest cities to experience a vehicle collision compared to the national average. Allstate�s auto policies represent about 12 percent of the U.S. population, making this report a realistic snapshot of what�s happening on America�s roadways. �The primary purpose of this study is to elevate the safe driving discussion by sharing Allstate�s report regarding motorists� driving habits with the public. We hope that our findings can help shed light on communities with drivers that could be more tolerant and attentive behind the wheel as well as provide a platform to recognize cities with drivers that have collectively improved over time,� says Mike Roche, senior vice president, Allstate�s Claim Organization. America�s Most-Improved Motorists This year, Allstate�s best drivers report delivers a new category and recognizes �America�s Most Improved-Motorists.� Allstate compared all three years of report data to identify cities with the most-improved drivers since 2005. A flock of Michigan cities landed in the top five slots, these include: Sterling Heights, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren and in first place, Flint. With remarkable progress, Flint improved its average years between accidents from 9.8 years in 2005 to 13.4 years or 25.4 percent better than the national medium in 2007, and leaped from the number 73 spot in 2005 to number three overall in 2007 in three years. City & Overall Ranking 2005-2007 Increasein Years between Accidents 3. Flint, Mich. 3.6� 4. Warren, Mich. 3.2� 24. Grand Rapids, Mich. 2.8� 25. Detroit 2.7� 12. Sterling Heights, Mich. 2.3� 54. Aurora, Colo. 1.8� 16. Lexington-Fayette, Ky. 1.7� 140. Yonkers, N.Y. 1.3� 187. Arlington, Va. 1.3� 191. Alexandria, Va. 1.2� �We've seen a nearly continual decrease in crashes statewide in Michigan in the last 10 years, including a 54 percent decrease in serious injury crashes�that's 9,000 fewer seriously injured people in 2006 compared to 1996. This progress in crash reduction is evident also in the statistics for the five cities highlighted in this report by Allstate,� explains David Morena, Safety and Traffic Engineer Federal Highway Administration, Lansing, Mich. �We attribute this reduction in the overall number and severity of crashes to a combination of positive actions taken by the agencies that promote traffic safety: safety legislation, such as primary seat belt law and graduated licensing for our younger drivers; road infrastructure and operational improvements, and safety features that vehicle manufacturers are designing for the vehicles themselves,� says Morena. �Finally, we also cannot ignore the probability of some contribution from the state's economy to lower auto collisions. Trends have shown that when our Michigan economy is in a downturn, auto crashes tend to reduce as well,� says Morena. The Top 10 Drivers from Sioux Falls didn�t yield their number one slot in this year�s report. However, Michigan, Tennessee and Colorado stand out as also being home to some of the country�s safest drivers. Two cities from each state are parked in the top 10 on Allstate�s list�consistent with report findings over its three-year history. Midwestern drivers also appear to heed the safety call. Four out of the 10 top cities are in America�s heartland, according to the report. Rank/City Collision Likelihood Compared to National Average Average Years Between Collisions 1. Sioux Falls, S.D. 27.2% less likely 13.7� 2. Fort Collins, Colo. 26.2% less likely 13.6� 3. Flint, Mich. 25.4% less likely 13.4� 4. Warren, Mich. 25.0% less likely 13.3� 5. Huntsville, Ala. 23.6% less likely 13.1� 6. Knoxville, Tenn. 22.8% less likely 13.0� 7. Chattanooga, Tenn. 22.7% less likely 12.9� 8. Colorado Springs, Colo. 21.3% less likely 12.7� 9. Milwaukee, Wisc. 21.0% less likely 12.7� 10. Des Moines, Iowa 20.5% less likely 12.6� 2007 Competent Commuters by Population Cities with More Than One Million Residents� For the third consecutive year, drivers in Phoenix, Ariz., are the safest big city commuters according to Allstate. Phoenix motorists can expect to bump into another vehicle on the roadway every 9.8 years�slightly more frequent than the national average. Rank/City Collision Likelihood Compared to National Average Average Years Between Collisions 78. Phoenix 2.0% more likely 9.8� 116. San Diego 10.9% more likely 9.0� 160. San Antonio 23.0% more likely 8.1� 163. Houston 23.9% more likely 8.1� 169. New York 27.0% more likely 7.9� 178. Dallas 29.7% more likely 7.7� 183. Chicago 34.4% more likely 7.4� 185. Los Angeles 44.7% more likely 6.9� 190. Philadelphia 51.9% more likely 6.6� Cities with 500,000 to One Million Residents� Milwaukee drivers topped the list of safest drivers in mid-sized cities with populations between 500,000 to 1,000,000 residents. While this is the third consecutive year that the Wisconsin city has claimed this honor, Milwaukee drivers experience a car accident once every 12.7 years on average, 21 percent less likely than the average driver. Drivers located in the top 10 cities in this break-out list for mid-sized cities are above average, level-headed drivers when compared to the average driver. Rank/City Collision Likelihood Compared to National Average Average Years Between Collisions 9. Milwaukee 21.0% less likely 12.7� 25. Detroit 13.5% less likely 11.6� 28. Louisville, Ky. 13.0% less likely 11.5� 33. Memphis, Tenn. 11.1% less likely 11.2� 36. Nashville, Tenn. 9.8% less likely 11.1� 39. Denver 8.4% less likely 10.9� 50. Indianapolis 5.0% less likely 10.5� 55. Tucson, Ariz. 3.8% less likely 10.4� 56. El Paso, Texas 3.5% less likely 10.4� 57. Oklahoma City 3.4% less likely 10.4� Let Them Get�Free Gas! Allstate pumped out free gas today to reward safe driving habits in two communities today, in Sioux Falls to reward the 2007 Best Drivers and in the Motor City metro area to congratulate the 2007 Most-Improved Motorists, according to �Allstate America�s Best Drivers Report.� Eager drivers lined up for the chance to get free gas compliments of Allstate Insurance Company. Mayors of Sioux Falls, Warren and other city officials joined local Allstate agents in respective hometowns to pump petrol for happy commuters�delivering some unexpected relief from near record high gas prices. Allstate Safety Leadership Award� For the second year in a row, Allstate will honor motorists in Sioux Falls today by presenting Sioux Falls Mayor Dave Munson with the Allstate Safety Leadership Award� as recognition for the safe driving habits of the city�s residents. The City of Sioux Falls will accept the Allstate Safety Leadership Award in recognition of the contributions made by the city to create and foster a safe driving environment for its residents. Introduced in 2006, the award is Allstate�s highest public honor�recognizing and promoting public awareness for successful public safety programs. Allstate presents the �Allstate America�s Best Driver�s Report� and the Allstate Safety Leadership Award to inspire others to take a leadership role in the safety arena. Crashes Happen According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Traffic Facts, more crashes occur on Saturdays than any other day of the week. Sunday ranked second and Friday came in third. Additionally, most collisions happen between 3 and 6 p.m. From 6 to 9 p.m. ranked second and 9 p.m. to midnight finished third. The fewest crashes occur between midnight and 3 a.m. Safe-Driving Pointers Despite technological advances, the death toll of car accidents remains high: on average, about 40,000 people die every year in the U.S. A much higher number of accidents result in permanent disability. With the main accident causes being human errors, following are some rudimentary but life saving reminders drivers should consider: Avoid disastrous distractions � Safe driving takes concentration. If a driver is talking on a cell phone or changing the radio station, he isn�t paying enough attention to the road. Distracted driving is a factor in 25 to 30 percent of all traffic crashes (source: Network of Employers for Traffic Safety). Take extra care in wild weather � Sometimes, bad weather conditions will contribute to an accident by interfering with visibility, diminishing traction on the surface of the road, or otherwise making it difficult to keep the car under control. A driver always should take the effects of the weather, such as strong cross winds or slippery roads, into consideration when driving. If you snooze, you lose � Drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 crashes each year, resulting in 40,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths on average (source: Network of Employers for Traffic Safety). On summer road trips, set realistic goals for the number of miles traveled each day. Stop at regular intervals when driving long distances. Steer clear of road rage � If one tailgates, flashes high beams, changes lanes without signaling or drives on the shoulder, then he or she is practicing aggressive driving or road rage. Reduce stress on the road by allowing plenty of time for travel, plan route in advance, and alter schedule or route to avoid congested roads. Angry and unpredictable, remember not to challenge aggressive drivers and stay as far away from them as possible. Maintenance matters � Ultimately, safety also depends on the maintenance of one�s car. Ensure that car brakes, exhaust system, tires, lights, battery and hoses are in good working order. Safety Can Save Money Allstate is recognizing drivers within Sioux Falls and the Detroit metropolitan area with celebratory free gas giveaways today. It is also rewarding safe drivers across the country by offering Allstate� Your Choice Auto Insurance. Allstate� Your Choice Auto Insurance rewards safe driving through optional features such as Safe Driver Bonus(SM) where policyholders can get cash off their renewal bill and Deductible Rewards(SM) where accident-free drivers earn $100 off their deductible, up to $500 for each year of safe driving. And for those not able to stay out of harms way, Your Choice Auto� provides enhanced protection through Accident Forgiveness where rates don�t go up just because of an accident and New Car Replacement where policyholders can get a new car if they total their car in the first three model years. Your Choice Auto� is not available in every state, but is currently available in 44. The Math behind the Rankings To create the report, Allstate researchers analyzed internal Property Damage reported claims over a two-year period (from January 2004 to December 2005) to ensure the findings would not be impacted by external influences such as weather or road construction. A weighted average of the two-year numbers determined the annual percentages. The report defines an auto crash as any collision resulting in a property damage claim. To view the �Allstate America�s Best Drivers Report� in its entirety or to see previous year�s results, log onto www.allstate.com. 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 helps individuals in approximately 17 million households protect what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow through approximately 14,800 exclusive agencies and financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada. Customers can access Allstate products and services such as auto insurance and homeowners insurance through Allstate agencies, or in select states at allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate�. Encompass� and Deerbrook� Insurance brand property and casualty products are sold exclusively through independent agents. The Allstate Financial Group provides life insurance, supplemental accident and health insurance, annuity, banking and retirement products designed for individual, institutional and worksite customers that are distributed through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, financial institutions and broker-dealers. Note: The Allstate data excludes cities in the state of Massachusetts, where Allstate Insurance Company does not offer insurance products.