Madison,
04
May
2017
|
05:00 AM
America/Chicago

American Family Insurance is taking a stand against teen distracted driving

Offers new app-based Teen Safe Driver solution

Summary

Prom and graduation season means more teens behind the wheel and on the road. A new app from American Family Insurance helps teens become better and more responsible drivers.

Welcome Screen 1

Teens love to get the car keys and go, and with prom here and graduation on the horizon, many more of them could be driving late at night and with other teen passengers. Unfortunately, also riding along with some of them will be dangerous distractions that can increase the risk of an accident.

New smart technology solution for teen drivers
American Family Insurance has provided customers with a Teen Safe Driver program since 2007. The latest offering is a new easy-to-use, app-based smartphone solution available free to customers with teen drivers. The app helps teens learn safer driving habits while reducing distracted driving using smart technology.

The app automatically tracks each trip and captures four key driving behaviors – time of day, hard braking, speeding and distracted driving (such as using a cell phone while driving) – then gives the teen a score based on these behaviors. Scores are shared only with parents and teens, encouraging teens to become more aware of risky driving behaviors, and challenge themselves to drive responsibility and improve their scores. Seventy-five per cent of drivers reduced their distracted driving just by using the app, thereby dramatically reducing the risk of crashes.

Distracted driving on the rise
Distracted driving is defined as any non-driving activity that has the potential to distract from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of crashing. These could include such things as talking or texting on a cell phone (at any given moment, about 660,000 drivers are using electronic devices while driving), eating or drinking, grooming, talking to passengers, or even changing radio stations.

Despite numerous public information campaigns to increase awareness of the dangers of distracted driving, it continues to be a serious issue, with teens being most at risk. Drivers under 20 have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes. Lack of experience among teens can contribute to critical mistakes if they are distracted, yet, for example, they text more than any other age group. And rather than declining, the numbers are increasing. The Teen Safe Driver Program hopes to mitigate this risk through awareness and education about driving behaviors.As an added benefit of the new app, after a teen drives 3,000 miles, or has been enrolled in the program for one year, customers can receive a 10% discount on their car insurance.

American Family Insurance customers can contact their agents to discuss the Teen Safe Driver program options available to them based on their current coverages. More information on the new Teen Safe Driver program can be found at www.teensafedriver.com beginning May 8, 2017.

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About American Family Insurance
Madison, Wis. - based American Family Insurance, celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2017, is the nation's 13th-largest property/casualty insurance group and ranks No. 332 on the Fortune 500 list. The company sells American Family-brand products, including auto, homeowners, life, business and farm/ranch insurance, through its exclusive agents in 19 states. American Family affiliates (The General, Homesite and AssureStart) also provide options for consumers who want to manage their insurance matters directly over the Internet or by phone. Web www.amfam.com; Facebook www.facebook.com/amfam; Twitter www.twitter.com/amfam; Google+ plus.google.com/+amfam/.