Allstate's Parent-Teen Driving Contract: A Gift That May Save Lives.

Teens can give parents the most important gift of the season, and it doesn't come from a store

MALVERN, Pa. -- Throughout the dangerous holiday driving season, many teen drivers will be involved in automobile accidents. Allstate Insurance Company urges teens to give a gift that could help them arrive home safely for the holidays by completing a parent-teen driving contract available at www.allstate.com/teen.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), December 23 and 24 are two of the four deadliest days for drivers. Data shows teens are more likely to be involved in accidents than more experienced drivers. Nationally, teen drivers between the ages of 16 to 20 were involved in approximately 900 vehicle crashes in the month of December, 2006 alone. In Connecticut, there were 24 teen driving fatalities in 2006 according to NHTSA, and more recently, seven teens were killed in the last four months.

"For more than 10 years now, car crashes have been the No. 1 killer of teens, and the holiday season is a very dangerous time for teen drivers," said David Schwartzer, Field Vice President, Allstate Insurance Company. "Allstate believes this statistic must change. Our Interactive Parent-Teen Driving Contract helps parents initiate a meaningful dialogue with their teens about the importance of being responsible behind the wheel of a car."

The contract, available at www.allstate.com/teen, is the centerpiece of a national awareness campaign which enables parents to comfortably discuss safe-driving practices. A recent study published by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development indicates intervention materials, including a parent-teen driving agreement for newly licensed drivers reduces high-risk driving behaviors.

The contract includes 'agreements' and 'consequences' for eight categories, including:

* Speeding and tickets

* Time of day

* Crashes

* Number of passengers

* Drinking and driving

* Seatbelts

* Cell phones / music / other distractions

* Grades

While the Allstate Parent-Teen Driving Contract provides a great holiday gift, as well as an effective tool to promote safe teen driving, the holiday season is also the perfect time of year for parents to model safe driving behavior when they are operating an automobile. According to a recent survey by The Allstate Foundation, 89 percent of teens say their parents are influential in encouraging safer driving. Studies show teens are more likely to put down the phone and MP3 player, wear a seat belt and follow the rules of the road if they see their parents do the same.

The Allstate Foundation has been focused on teen driving as a priority since 2005. The program is designed to make smart driving socially acceptable to teens by surrounding them with messages that help change the way they think and act when in a car. The Allstate Foundation is an independent, private, non-profit organization funded by subsidiaries of The Allstate Corporation.

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate[R]" slogan, Allstate helps individuals in approximately 17 million households protect what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow through approximately 14,600 exclusive agencies and financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada. Customers can access Allstate products and services such as auto insurance and homeowners insurance through Allstate agencies, or in select states at allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate[R]. Encompass[R] and Deerbrook[R] Insurance brand property and casualty products are sold exclusively through independent agents. The Allstate Financial Group provides life insurance, supplemental accident and health insurance, annuity, banking and retirement products designed for individual, institutional and worksite customers that are distributed through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, financial institutions and broker-dealers.