Bakersfield Teens Experience the Dangers of Distracted Driving
October 13 2009 - 6:35PM
Business Wire
Tires squealed and traffic cones were crushed today as teens
trained behind-the-wheel in a special obstacle course that revealed
the dangers of distracted driving. Allstate Insurance Company
hosted the Action Against Distraction teen driving challenge at
Kern County Fairgrounds to show local teens firsthand the dramatic
impact of distracted driving habits such as texting and talking on
the phone.
“We’re giving teens and parents the opportunity to experience
smart decision-making on the road in a safe, hands-on environment,”
said Roy Garza, Allstate exclusive agent in Bakersfield.
On a closed course under the guidance of professional driving
instructors, teen drivers experienced the before-and-after effect
of distractions such as texting, talking on the phone and rowdy
passengers, and how they impair driving ability. The advanced
training course is being held by Allstate in dozens of cities
around the country this year to raise awareness about distracted
driving and the need for graduated driving laws nationwide, like
those already in place in California.
Research shows that both parents and teens believe alcohol is
the cause of most crashes involving teen drivers. However, for teen
crashes between 2003 and 2005, the primary cause—87 percent—was
driver error.
“Parents and lawmakers are also a big part of the teen smart
driving equation,” said Garza. “Parents need to start a dialogue
about driving with their teens and governments need to enact
stronger GDL laws for novice teen drivers.”
Research conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and
Human Development indicates that intervention materials, including
parent-teen driving agreements, have a positive influence on newly
licensed drivers. Parents can initiate a conversation with their
teen about smart driving and the consequences for not living up to
those expectations by filing out an interactive contract – setting
their own expectation and consequences – available online at
www.allstate.comteen.
About Allstate
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 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®.
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