Itasca, IL - Research from The Allstate Foundation shows
nearly half of parents express regret about not monitoring their teen driver
after they get a license, and more than two-thirds wish they spent more time
practicing driving with their teen in high-risk situations. To help educate
parents on driving risks, The Allstate Foundation is helping the National Safety Council launch Drive it Home, a
new program offering specially created resources to help parents keep their
teens safer on the road.
Drive
it Home, created by parents for parents, is specifically targeted at
parents after their teen gets a driver’s license; that is one of the deadliest
years in a person’s life. Drive it Home uses a variety of video and graphic
styles, including humor to capture the
attention of parents, educate them on the real dangers facing their teens and
help them provide ongoing coaching tips for recently licensed teen
drivers.
“We know from our
research that parents are the No.1 source of information for teen drivers, yet
40 percent don’t know car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens,”
said Vicky Dinges, vice president of corporate social responsibility at
Allstate. “Drive it Home can help protect teen drivers, educate parents on the
crucial role they play in the driving process, and help ensure our sons and
daughters return home each and every night.”
Additional
findings from The Allstate Foundation’s research include:
-
Parents don’t understand the most deadly risks to their teen driver. Research shows that inexperience is the No. 1 cause of teen crashes, but 74 percent of parents inaccurately believe that risk-taking is the leading cause.
- Despite the fact that nine in 10 parents say it’s very important for teens to learn to manage night driving and driving with passengers, one in three parents admit they have not adequately covered these items with their teen.
- Nearly 30 percent of parents are not setting rules around some of the most dangerous behaviors including nighttime driving and passengers in the car. Many parents also don’t require their teen to get permission before driving somewhere.
- Sixty-four percent of parents are actively looking for resources to help manage their teens’ driving experience.
“Parents are looking for information
that can help them manage their teens’ driving experience and need additional
tools that take a variety of non-traditional approaches to capture their
attention,” said Janet Froetscher, chief executive officer at the National
Safety Council. “The National Safety Council researched the behaviors and
messages that appealed most with parents and used it to inform the Drive it
Home program. We know different parents respond to different kinds of messages.
One technique we use is humor, for instance. While this is an extremely serious issue, we
know that comedy can appeal to everyone and we were able to weave important
tips, tools and statistics into the content for the program.”
Tips for Parents. The Allstate Foundation and National Safety
Council urge parents to take these simple steps with their teen driver:
-
Drive at least 30 minutes each week with a newly licensed teen.
- Practice specific skills together and provide teens with feedback in the following critical areas:
- Scanning the road ahead to recognize and respond to hazards.
- Controlling speed, stopping, turning and following distance.
- Judging the gap between vehicles in traffic – such as exiting parking lots and left-hand turns.
- Managing the highest risks, such as night driving and driving with young passengers.
Parents looking for practice tips they
can use with their teen driver can sign up on the Drive it Home website (www.driveithome.org) for weekly driving
practice lessons delivered to them via email.
Additionally, as a part of the program, Drive
it Home is coming to cities across the country in a series of shows featuring
Second City Communications. The shows take a comedic approach to the topic of
teen safe driving and give local parents the chance to win a free Chevy Cruze
and gas cards. To get additional
information on the dates of the tour, visit www.driveithome.org.
The
Drive it Home Show is coming to the following cities:
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Greenville, South Carolina
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East Islip, New York
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Sacramento, California
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Middletown, New Jersey
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Virginia Beach, Virginia
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Seattle, Washington
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Phoenix, Arizona
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Plano, Texas
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Fort Myers, Florida
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Nashville, Tennessee
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Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
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Rockford, Illinois
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Grand Rapids, Michigan
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Colorado Springs, Colorado
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Funding for Drive it
Home was provided by; the National Safety Council, The Allstate Foundation,
General Motors Foundation, AT&T Foundation, Toyota Foundation.
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.AllstateFoundation.org.
About the National
Safety Council
Founded
in 1913 and chartered by Congress, the National Safety Council (nsc.org) is a
nonprofit organization whose mission is to save lives by preventing injuries
and deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the road through
leadership, research, education and advocacy. NSC advances this mission by
partnering with businesses, government agencies, elected officials and the
public in areas where we can make the most impact – distracted driving, teen
driving, workplace safety and prescription drug overdoses.