MetLife Auto & Home Offers Parents and Teens Support to Comply with Utah's New Graduated Licensing Law
PHOENIX--July 23, 2001--Utah legislators have strengthened the existing licensing laws to curb the number of automobile injuries and deaths involving teens. Effective July 1, teen drivers must complete a period of in-the-car training with an adult before they can get behind the wheel as fully licensed drivers. To help teens and parents meet the new legal requirements, MetLife Auto & Home has announced a series of initiatives --including free handbooks and videos.
MetLife Auto & Home helps teens establish good driving habits during their first years on the road by providing a 16-page handbook reviewed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, entitled "Teaching Your Teen to Drive (Without Driving Each Other Crazy)," and a video for families with teenagers, entitled "Young Drivers: The High Risk Years." Both provide parents with important guidelines to follow before their teenagers get behind the wheel and emphasize the importance that preparation and planning can play in defusing potentially stressful situations. Both are available to the public free of charge by calling 1-800-638-5433 (1-800-MET-LIFE).
"Over 7,000 teens lose their lives on America's roadways each year. MetLife Auto & Home is working diligently to partner with parents to `put the brakes' on these numbers," said Cathy Rein, President and CEO of MetLife Auto & Home. "Many parents and teens may find the prospect of spending more driving-time together disconcerting. Our material provides parents and teenagers with the tools they need, and serves as a strong reminder for teens to drive with the utmost caution," noted Bruce Rupper, senior company representative for Utah.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicle fatalities are the leading cause of death among teens aged 15-18. To lower this alarming statistic, 44 states have instituted some type of graduated driver's licensing law. The laws usually involve a "tiered" approach to teenage licensing, and Utah's new law is no exception. Along with the requirement that teens and adults spend time together as pilot and co-pilot, restrictions are placed on night driving and the number of passengers a teen can have in a vehicle at one time.
MetLife Auto & Home is also offering incentives to teens to help make their first years driving safe and profitable. These incentives include:
-- A $50 cash reward for each year without any accidents, claims, or violations. This is offered through the "Drive Safe and Cash In" portion of the company's "Teens on the Road to Safety" program.
-- A $100 US Savings Bond for insureds between 16 and 20 who log 20 drives with a parent or guardian in the co-pilot seat. Called "Sunday Drive," this is an optional component of the "Teens on the Road to Safety" program. The cash award and savings bond program is currently in 18 states including Utah.
-- In Utah, MetLife Auto & Home offers its Driver Improvement Course Discount of 10% off Bodily Injury (BI), Property Damage (PD), Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Medical and Collision premiums to drivers who have been licensed at least two years and who successfully complete a company-approved driver improvement course, such as that offered by Top Driver, Inc. The Driver Improvement Course Discount is effective for three years and is renewal upon re-certification. The company-approved Top Driver video course is called "Take Control." This course and discount are not just available to teen drivers who have been licensed for two years--it is available to experienced drivers of all ages. To learn more, visit www.topdriver.com.
-- A 16-page handbook, approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, entitled "Teaching Your Teen to Drive: Without Driving Each Other Crazy" and a video for families with teenagers, entitled "Young Drivers: The High Risk Years." These companions to "Sunday Drive" and the parent-supervised drives required by Graduated Licensing are available to parents or guardians for free by dialing 1-800-638-5433 (1-800-MET-LIFE).
MetLife Auto & Home, an affiliate of MetLife, Inc , is one of the nation's leading personal lines property and casualty companies with more than 2.6 million policies in force. For more information about the wide variety of insurance products MetLife Auto & Home provides, contact your local MetLife Auto & Home provider or authorized Independent Agent, or visit MetLife's website at www.metlife.com. In Texas, home coverage is provided by Metropolitan Lloyds Insurance Company of Texas.
MetLife Auto & Home is a brand of Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliates, Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliates, Warwick, RI
Editor's Note: For additional information regarding the state specific graduated license laws, please visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) website at www.hwysafety.org/safety%5Ffacts/state%5Flaws/licensing_systems.pdf, page 5 or contact Anne Lipsitz at (401) 827-2021 for a copy.