Nationwide Insurance, NASCAR driversBrad Keselowski and Stephen Leicht, encourage race fans to stop driving distracted
Many motorists committing DWD – “Driving While Distracted”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2009
Contacts:
Lisa Cox 336-682-8488
coxl15@nationwide.com
Liz Christopher 614-249-7705
christe1@nationwide.com
Cincinnati, OH— Today, Nationwide Insurance teamed up with NASCAR drivers Brad Keselowski and Stephen Leicht to raise awareness about DWD – Driving While Distracted.
“I’m excited to be a part of this great campaign on behalf of Nationwide,” said Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 88 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet. “Between cell phones, text messaging and iPods, drivers are faced with so many distractions these days and I think it is important that they understand exactly how much of a problem these things can create while they are driving. When I’m on the track, it is imperative that I be as focused as possible and the same is true for drivers who are out on the road.”
Nationwide Insurance brought the NASCAR drivers to Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati for the second stop on an education campaign to spread the message of dangers of driving while distracted. Students saw firsthand the impact text messaging has on their driving abilities while racing in a NASCAR simulator.
“This is a great program that our series sponsor, Nationwide Insurance, came up with and I’m proud to be able to play a part in it,” said Stephen Leicht, driver of the No. 29 Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express Chevrolet. “I’m glad that they gave me a chance to come out here to teach drivers, some about my age, about the dangers of driving while being distracted. Too often, we hear about car accidents on the highways and roads across America because a driver was using their cell phone, eating, or anything that slightly took their eyes off the roadway. This program really wakes drivers up about what can go wrong from sending a simple text message instead of focusing on driving.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says distracted drivers account for nearly four out of five crashes in the U.S.The problem is especially bad for young drivers. In a 2008 survey, Nationwide found that nearly 40 percent of the teenagers and young adults surveyed admitted they send and receive text messages while driving - the same percentage of those questioned who said they have been hit or almost hit by another car whose driver was talking on a cell phone.
“Clearly, distracted driving has taken over our roadways and Nationwide wants to educate all drivers that they need to focus on the road, not on their technology, when behind the wheel,” said Bill Windsor, Associate Vice President of Safety for Nationwide Insurance.
The NASCAR Nationwide Series will be at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday, June 13, 2009 for the Meijer 300. Coverage begins at 8 p.m. on ESPN 2.
Nationwide, based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the U.S. and is rated A+ by A.M. Best. The company provides a full range of personalized insurance and financial services, including auto insurance, motorcycle, boat, homeowners, life insurance, farm, commercial insurance, administrative services, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds, pensions, long-term savings plans and health and productivity services. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com.
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