by Joanna Augustynski, Allstate Insurance Company
Allstate Insurance Company, with The Allstate Foundation, is mobilizing national, state and local resources in a comprehensive Teen Safe Driving Program to save young lives and make the roads safer in all communities. Car crashes are the number-one killer of U.S. teens. Each year, nearly 5,000 teens are killed (Insurance Institute for Highway safety) and another 300,000 injured (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) in largely preventable collisions. The tragic emotional toll of crashes on families and communities is devastating. According to a recent study by Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, teen crashes cost more than $34 billion in medical expenses, property damage, lost work, quality of life loss and other related costs in 2006 alone.
Through research, advocacy advertising, teen empowerment, parent education and partnerships with schools, community organizations, government agencies and health care providers, Allstate and The Allstate Foundation have invested significant resources since 2005 to help save young lives, preserve families and build safer communities. For this, Allstate and the Allstate Foundation received the 2008 Corporate Citizenship Award in the category of U.S. Community Service. (Watch a video of the awards presentation.)
The Teen Safe Driving Program continues to gain momentum and expand its reach through a surround sound approach to reach teens, parents and thought leaders. Some highlights of 2009 initiatives include the following.
- Allstate is supporting the creation of federal graduated driver licensing (GDL) standards that reflect sound research on how best to reduce teen driving crashes, by championing the passage of the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection (STANDUP) Act.
- Allstate launched Action Against Distraction, a national public awareness campaign aimed at changing driving behaviors and raising awareness around our current driving laws. Action Against Distraction Driver Challenge events will be held in 42 cities across the country to help teens and their parents better understand how changing driving behavior, as well as changing driving laws, can save lives and make our roads safer.
- As part of National Youth Traffic Safety Month, The Allstate Foundation and partner National Organizations for Youth Safety conducted Act Out Loud, the national teen-led, school-based smart driving activism competition.
- The Allstate Foundation is continuing its successful partnership with Channel One, the award-winning provider of in-school TV news. During the 2008-2009 school year Channel One delivered 32 smart driving messages to more than 8,000 schools and more than 6 million teens.
The Corporate Citizenship Award was a great honor and source of pride for Allstate and its employees. Most importantly, we hope the award helps us raise awareness of this important issue.