Insurance Commissioner, Georgia Agencies & 21st Century Insurance to Hold Child Safety Seat Inspection Event; Actor Erik Estrada to Help Deliver Safety Message at Child Seat Safety Inspection Fair in Savannah

SAVANNAH, Ga.--Sept. 14, 2006--As part of a statewide partnership designed to reduce the leading cause of death among children, Insurance Commissioner John W. Oxendine, the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, the Georgia Department of Public Safety and 21st Century Insurance will bring their consumer safety program and the company's spokesperson Erik Estrada to Savannah this weekend. The safety partnership targets this leading cause - motor vehicle crashes - by promoting compliance with Georgia law for child safety restraints.

Certified technicians will conduct child safety seat inspections. The event will be held in the parking lot of the National Guard Armory in Savannah from 10 a.m. till 12 noon this Saturday, September 16, with 21st spokesperson and actor Erik Estrada on hand to help deliver this important safety message and sign autographs. There are a limited number of safety seat inspections available. Children must accompany the vehicle for proper fitting.

Georgia law requires that all children under six years old be in a child safety seat or booster seat appropriate for their height and weight and used according to the manufacturer's instructions. The law also requires children under six to ride in the rear seat.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children two years of age. New data show that 80 percent of child safety seats are improperly installed and are a potential source of injury for children, up from 73 percent in 2004.

Saturday's child safety seat fair will take place from 10 a.m. until 12 noon at the National Guard Armory located at 1248 Eisenhower Dr. in Savannah. Certified child passenger safety technicians will inspect and teach parents to install their child safety seats. If necessary, technicians will replace broken, recalled or non-age-appropriate seats with brand-new child safety seats donated by 21st. Technicians will teach parents and caregivers how to use and install the seats. Children must accompany vehicles for proper fitting and will be helped on a first come, first served basis.

"Recent national statistics show that more than 80 percent of children in vehicles are unrestrained or buckled up incorrectly," said Janet Garrison, Chatham County Health Department and Safe Kids Savannah. "A properly installed child safety seat can make the difference between a safe, healthy child and one who's injured or killed."

Actor Erik Estrada, best known as "Ponch" on the hit TV show "CHiPs," will join fair participants to spread the word on child seat safety. "Wearing your seatbelt and making sure your children are properly buckled up is the best insurance against being killed or seriously injured in many vehicle crashes," Estrada said. "I urge all parents to have their child's safety seat inspected. Just a few minutes could save a life."

Federal statistics show a critical need for education regarding booster seat use:

-- According to recent data from NHTSA, at least 80 percent of children who should ride in booster seats currently do not.

-- NHTSA recommends that children who weigh more than 40 pounds or who have outgrown their 5-point harness system should be placed in a booster seat.

-- Using a booster seat allows the seat belt to be positioned across the child where it is most effective and lowers the risk of injury to children in crashes by 59 percent.

The Georgia program is similar to the successful programs in seven other states. Since 21st premiered its safety initiative in California five years ago, more than 8,500 child safety seats have been inspected; 21st has donated more than 7,000 new child safety seats; and more than 3,000 dangerous seats have been destroyed. This Saturday's safety fair is the second event held in Georgia this year.

To help inform the public, 21st has created "Child Safety Seats: A Parent's Guide" to explain proper seat installation and use. The guide, available in English or Spanish, can be obtained at the safety fairs as well as directly from 21st by contacting the company's corporate headquarters at 1-800-211-SAVE or visiting its Web site, 21st.com/safety.

About 21st

Founded in 1958, 21st Century Insurance Group is a direct-to-consumer provider of personal auto insurance. With $1.4 billion of revenue in 2005, the company insures over 1.5 million vehicles in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. 21st provides superior policy features and 24/7 customer service at a competitive price. Customers can purchase insurance, service their policy or report a claim at 21st.com or on the phone with our licensed insurance professionals at 1-800-211-SAVE, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Service is offered in English and Spanish both on the phone and on the Web. 21st Century Insurance Company, 21st Century Casualty Company and 21st Century Insurance Company of the Southwest are rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best, Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor's.

21st Century Insurance Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol TW and is headquartered at 21st Century Plaza, 6301 Owensmouth Avenue, Woodland Hills, CA 91367.