Illinois

State Farm® and Miss Illinois Team Up to Keep Teen Drivers Safer

Illinois, June, 2011 - Automobile crashes continue to be the leading cause of death and injury to teenage drivers, and teens are nearly ten times more likely to be in an accident within their first year of driving. State Farm Insurance® and the Miss Illinois Scholarship Association are teaming up to combat these statistics and educate teens on safe driving habits.

Through this newly created partnership, the reigning Miss Illinois will appear at events and high schools across the state, working collaboratively with State Farm to promote good decision making behind the wheel by teen drivers, and warning against the many distractions while driving.

The current Miss Illinois, 22-year old Whitney Thorpe-Klinsky, is from New Baden, IL and is a recent graduate from Illinois Wesleyan University. By speaking to high school students across the state, Miss Illinois will have the opportunity to reach thousands of students with facts, statistics, and her own personal experiences. Having been raised in a small, tight-knit community, Thorpe-Klinsky will draw upon the losses she has witnessed throughout her life to help students truly comprehend the potential consequences of their decisions.

Visit teendriving.statefarm.com for more information, including tips for teens and parents, information about insurance discounts available for safe drivers and more facts about teens on the road. For more information on the Miss Illinois Scholarship Association, go to www.missillinois.org.