Car Crashes Remain Largest Public Health Issue Facing Teens. Celebrate My Drive™ Brings Together Community Leaders, Law Enforcement And Parents In Support Of This Year's Class Of New Teen Drivers
More than 300 Communities Hosting Simultaneous Events. Thousands of Teens Expected To Participate.
Learning to drive is a big step in life's journey. On September 15, community leaders in Fairfield, CT will join with hundreds of other locations across North America in a show of support for teen drivers, helping them stay safe as they embark on the road ahead.
Car crashes are the number one killer of American teens, according to the Center for Disease Control, and their first year on the road as a new driver is the most dangerous. Though traditional scare tactics can be engaging for some, State Farm® and others believe a supportive and positive approach to teen driver safety in addition to education, awareness, legislation and enforcement is key to keeping teens engaged and safe on the road. With this in mind, State Farm is debuting a different teen driver safety program called Celebrate My Drive™.
All across the U.S. and Canada, State Farm® will be rallying communities to promote teen driver safety by hosting more than 300 events simultaneously on Sept. 15. The Fairfield community is home to one of the events and State Farm is encouraging area residents to attend to support teens as they learn to drive and get ready for the road ahead.
The Celebrate My Drive event is hosted by State Farm agents Steve Boyle (Bridgeport) and Mark Otterson (Fairfield). They will partner with the Fairfield Police Explorers who are advocates for responsible teen driving. The event will feature several simulators; distracted driving, crash and vehicle rollover, to help participants learn what to do in these situations. State Farm will also present the Fairfield Police Explores with a grant for $5,000 to help them continue their work with teen driving education. The event is free and is open to the entire community.
Interested community members can show their support for a local school by voting for the school to win a $100,000 grant at celebratemydrive.com between September 10 and September 15. State Farm is giving a total of 14 $100,000 grants to high schools across the U.S. and Canada.
Fourteen teenagers (ages 15-18) and their families, who participate in the school grant voting process, will win a grand prize, a brand new Chevy Sonic LS! Learn more by visiting www.facebook.com/CelebrateMyDrive.
Note: Media may contact Steve or Mark to arrange for advance interviews with participating teens and their parents. Community leaders and participants also will be available for interviews during the day of the event.
Agents Steve Boyle (Bridgeport) & Mark Otterson (Fairfield)
Fairfield Police Explorers
Sherman Green
1451 Post Road
Fairfield, CT 06824
9/15/12 at 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Check presentation at noon)
Agent Steve Boyle, (203) 615-0007
Agent Mark Otterson, (203) 690-1330
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 65,000 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. 43 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com or in Canada http://www.statefarm.ca.
