NORTHBROOK, Ill., Feb. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Teens say texting is
the biggest distraction behind the wheel, and this week students at
more than 300 American high schools have signed on to fight
distracted driving as part of a teen safe driving competition from
The Allstate Foundation and Channel One News. Friends and family
can take the pledge to "X the TXT" on behalf of participating high
schools from Feb. 7-13 at
www.channelone.com/xthetxt. The school with the most online pledges
(calculated as a percentage of school size) will be named the
winner at the end of the competition.
The Allstate Foundation will reward the winning school with a
$10,000 grant. Also, as part of
National Youth Traffic Safety Month in May, rising music star
Ashlyne Huff will perform a private
concert at the winning school, and Channel One News anchors will
tape a broadcast from the school on the day of the concert.
"By harnessing the power of positive peer influence, these
students are leading the charge against the texting epidemic to
make roads safer now as well as for the next generation of
drivers," said Joan Walker, senior
vice president of corporate relations, Allstate. "Public awareness
campaigns like Allstate's X the TXT movement, SAVE 11 and Family
Driving Challenge have helped fuel the conversation on distracted
driving and educate America on the power of uniform, enforced
graduated driver licensing laws to protect our youngest drivers
from dangerous driving situations."
According to a recent Allstate Foundation study, 49 percent of
teens admit to being extremely distracted by texting and instant
messaging while driving. However, 82 percent of teens still say
they use their cell phones behind the wheel. And, the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports driver distraction
contributes to 25 percent of all police-reported traffic
crashes.
The competition marks the third year The Allstate Foundation and
Channel One News are working together to educate and inform young
adults on critical issues related to safe and responsible driving.
Channel One News, the leading television news network for teens,
reaches more than six million students daily through its broadcast
in middle schools and high schools nationwide.
"Channel One and The Allstate Foundation's X the TXT competition
is succeeding in raising awareness for a very important issue among
a population of teens who are at greater risk to the dangers of
texting while driving," commented Kent
Haehl, CEO, Channel One Network. "We encourage all
participating schools to continue building awareness and furthering
their education of the dangers of texting while driving, and we
look forward to rewarding the school that succeeds in garnering the
highest percentage of pledges to X the TXT".
Allstate's X the TXT program is a national movement to raise
awareness about the dangers of texting while driving, and encourage
teens and their families to pledge not to text and drive. Today,
fans of X the TXT can check out celebrity updates, share the
message with online networks, and even designate an in-car texter
at www.facebook.com/xthetxt, so they can stay focused on the road
and in touch with their friends and family. The campaign is part of
Allstate's broader efforts to make roads safer for young drivers
and all American families. Since its launch, more than 125,000
people from across the country have committed to X the TXT.
About The Allstate Foundation
Established in 1952, The Allstate Foundation is an independent,
charitable organization made possible by subsidiaries of The
Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL). Through partnerships with
nonprofit organizations across the country, The Allstate Foundation
brings the relationships, reputation and resources of Allstate to
support innovative and lasting solutions that enhance people's
well-being and prosperity. With a focus on teen safe driving and
building financial independence for domestic violence survivors,
The Allstate Foundation also promotes safe and vital communities;
tolerance, inclusion, and diversity; and economic empowerment. For
more information, visit www.allstate.com/foundation.
About Channel One News
Peabody and Telly Award-winning Channel One News, an Alloy Media
+ Marketing company, is the leading television news network for
teens, reaching nearly six million young people in middle schools
and high schools nationwide - broadcast each day to close to 1 in 4
of all teenagers in the U.S. The dynamic, daily broadcast and
supplementary educational resources inform, educate, and inspire
teens, connecting them with important current events and the world
around them. Channel One News has covered fast-breaking
global events from regions such as Haiti, Chile,
Mexico, Sierra Leone, North
Korea, Afghanistan,
Sri Lanka, Germany and Qatar. Through its partnership with CBS News
Productions, Channel One News draws on the vast resources of CBS
News, ensuring worldwide coverage wherever and whenever news breaks
- and always from a teen perspective. Channel One News programming
has been featured on leading networks and news programs, including
CBS, CNN, NBC Nightly News and Today Show, ABC News and Nightline.
Visit the Webby Award-winning website www.ChannelOne.com to learn
more.
SOURCE The Allstate Foundation