BRANCHVILLE, N.J., April 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Selective
Insurance Company of America, the lead insurance company of
Selective Insurance Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIGI), is working with its
network of "ivy league" agents to call attention to distracted
driving behaviors during Distracted Driving Awareness Month in
April. This includes a Distracted Driving Pledge that encourages
customers, insurance agents and employees to spread the word
about safe driving behaviors, and donations to support the work of
EndDD (End Distracted Driving) on behalf of every customer who
signs up for Selective® Drive, a safe driving sensor, through their
independent insurance agent in the month of April. Selective® Drive
– an innovative fleet and safety management tool
available to Selective's customers with commercial vehicle
accounts – is designed to perpetuate safe driving
behaviors.
"The safety of our customers and their families is of paramount
importance to Selective and our independent insurance agency
partners. It's vital that we sound the alarm about the dangers
of distracted driving so we can keep our roads safe," said
John J. Marchioni, Selective's
President and Chief Operating Officer.
The statistics on distracted driving are alarming. The National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that every day in
the U.S. approximately 9 people die and 1,000 are injured in
crashes that involve a distracted driver. Distracted driving
behaviors – from texting and daydreaming to eating or navigating a
car's infotainment system – can put the driver, passengers and
everyone else on the road in harm's way.
A Pledge to End Distracted Driving
To end distracted
driving, it's critical that drivers first understand the behaviors
that draw their focus from the road. Selective's Distracted Driving
Pledge features actionable behaviors for safe driving and
encourages drivers to share them with friends and family. All
drivers, including individuals and business owners, are invited to
support and share the Pledge, which is available at
Selective.com. Additional distracted driving resources,
including safety tips, are also available at Selective.com.
Selective Contributes to Distracted Driving Awareness
Efforts
To help advance ongoing efforts to promote driver
safety, Selective's philanthropic arm, the Selective Insurance
Group Foundation, recently presented a $20,000 donation to support the work of EndDD.
The donation will support EndDD's mission to save lives as the
organization develops educational content for schools and
businesses and deploys speakers to reach more than 70,000 students
per year to help spread the word about the dangers of distracted
driving.
Selective is also working with its network of independent
insurance agency partners to help keep drivers safe by offering
Selective® Drive to policyholders with commercial auto fleets.
Selective® Drive is a sensor device and cloud-based application
that helps perpetuate safe driving behaviors and reduce distracted
driving. For every customer who signs up for Selective® Drive
during Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the Selective Insurance
Group Foundation will make a $25
donation to support EndDD.
"Education, awareness and action targeting drivers and
passengers of all ages can influence safe driving behaviors,"
continued Marchioni. "Selective's new Distracted Driving Pledge,
our Selective® Drive tool and donations to support the work of
EndDD can all help drivers make better choices when behind the
wheel, but there is more we can all do. Along with our agency
partners, we are committed to driving ongoing awareness about this
life threatening issue and being a catalyst for change on our
roadways."
One of the most important features of Selective® Drive is its
ability to detect distracted driving behaviors by identifying phone
calls or other phone usage while the vehicle is in motion.
Selective® Drive also monitors driving speed, location, idle time,
and harsh driving events involving acceleration, turning and
stopping. In addition, it can help fleet managers manage and
maintain their fleets by providing maintenance reminders and recall
notices. For more information about Selective® Drive, please visit
https://drive.selective.com/.
About EndDD and the Casey
Feldman Memorial Foundation
EndDD is a
project of the Casey Feldman
Memorial Foundation. Its mission is to save lives from distracted
driving through advocacy, education and action. The Casey
Feldman Memorial Foundation was founded in 2009 by Casey's
parents, Joel Feldman and
Dianne Anderson – Casey was struck
and killed by a distracted driver in July
2009 in Ocean City, NJ when
she was 21.
About Selective Insurance Group, Inc.
Selective
Insurance Group, Inc. is a holding company for 10 property and
casualty insurance companies rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best.
Through independent agents, the insurance companies offer standard
and specialty insurance for commercial and personal risks, and
flood insurance underwritten by the National Flood Insurance
Program. Selective maintains a website at Selective.com.
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SOURCE Selective Insurance Group, Inc.