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Help Promote Roadway Safety During National Teen Driver Safety Week


national safety council

ITASCA, IL--Oct. 16, 2011-22 is National Teen Driver Safety Week and the National Safety Council has partnered with State Farm to provide information and tools to help keep teens safe. Each day, more than 15 fatalities occur in crashes involving drivers between the ages of 15 to 20. A variety of materials and information to keep teen drivers safe can be found at Teen Driver.

“The principles of Graduated Driver Licensing are proven to reduce teen crash risk by up to 40 percent”

"The principles of Graduated Driver Licensing are proven to reduce teen crash risk by up to 40 percent," said Janet Froetscher, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. "The Council urges parents to better understand teen crash risks and coach their teens through agreed expectations and consequences. We all share the roads with teen drivers, so this is a great time to discuss these issues with the teens and parents in our lives."

If you are the parent or guardian of a newly licensed teen, follow these five steps to help reduce your teen's crash risk:

1. Set a nighttime driving restriction of 10:00 p.m. or earlier
2. Do not allow your teen to drive with passengers for the first 6 months of driving
3. Ban all cell phone use while driving -- both handheld and hands-free devices
4. Prohibit alcohol
5. Make safety belts mandatory

"Motor vehicle crashes remain the number one killer of teens, and October continues to be the most dangerous month for teen driver crashes," said Emily Clark, State Farm public affairs specialist. "While promoting teen driver safety requires a year-round commitment, the fall time frame is critically important. As teens return to school, attend Homecoming and begin managing very busy schedules, we want them to keep safe driving practices at the top of their minds. We are happy to partner with the National Safety Council to keep our young drivers safe."

About State FarmŽ

State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and is a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 17,800 agents and more than 66,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts -- more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 37 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies.

About the National Safety Council

Founded in 1913 and chartered by Congress, the National Safety Council 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 to make an impact where the most preventable injuries and deaths occur, in areas such as distracted driving, teen driving, workplace safety and beyond the workplace, particularly in and near our homes.