Nationwide Insurance, NASCAR drivers Kevin Harvick and Cale Gale, encourage local teens to stop texting while driving
Many young motorists committing DWD – “Driving While Distracted”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 23, 2008
Contacts:
Liz Christopher 614-249-7705
christe1@nationwide.com
Lisa Cox 336-682-8488
coxl15@nationwide.com
Charlotte, NC — Today, Nationwide Insurance teamed up with NASCAR drivers Kevin
Harvick and Cale Gale to raise awareness among North Carolina teens about
DWD – Driving While
Distracted.
“Whenever I am behind the wheel, no matter if it’s in my race car,
go-kart or my personal car, I am always focused on the task at hand,”
said two-time Nationwide Series champion Kevin Harvick. “If I take the
chance of losing focus while I am on or off the track, it could not only
injure me, but the people around me as well.”
To drive home the message that multitasking behind the wheel puts
drivers and their fellow motorists as risk, Nationwide hosted an event at
Vance High School. Students and community members saw firsthand the
impact text messaging has on their driving abilities while racing in a
NASCAR simulator.
“Every time I get in a car, whether it’s on the track or the highway, I
am always aware of my surroundings and am focused on the road,” said
Rookie of the Year Contender Cale Gale, driver of the No. 33
RoadLoans.com Chevrolet. “As a young driver and a rookie in the NASCAR
Nationwide Series, I know how easy it is to get distracted, but I know in
order to finish a race and to safely get from place to place, I must
always stay focused and alert to keep myself and others out of trouble.
Between Nationwide Insurance and my sponsor RoadLoans.com, hopefully we
can teach other young drivers the importance of driving safe on the
highways.”
New Nationwide Insurance survey underscores DWD problem
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 survey released this
week by Nationwide Mutual Insurance of 1,500 drivers, 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 our survey
shows that no one is immune -- no matter how safe they think they are,”
said Bill Windsor, Associate Vice President of Safety for
Nationwide.
Distractions that take a driver’s eyes off the road even for just
seconds put drivers and their passengers at great risk.
“At Nationwide, we’re as much in the business of preventing accidents as
we are in reimbursing people after an accident,” said Lee Morton,
Nationwide’s Regional Vice President for North Carolina. “Text messaging
comes natural to Gen Y-ers. However, multitasking while behind the wheel
is quite different from multitasking while sitting at home.”
“The increase in cell phone use and text messaging by young drivers –
and adult drivers as well – makes the “don't drive while distracted”
message critical for all communities,” said Phillip Cauthen, Principal of
Vance High School. “I applaud Nationwide and NASCAR for drawing attention
to this very important safety issue.”
Nationwide and the National Safety Council developed www.NationwideSmartRide.com, a Website to provide parents
and teens free tools and resources to help develop safe drivers and
reinforce smart behavior. It is available free to anyone regardless of
whether they are a Nationwide customer.
Nationwide Insurance was at Vance High School as part of its new
sponsorship of the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In addition to spreading the
message of dangers of driving while distracted, the event gave race fans
an opportunity to get driver autographs, clock the fastest time in a
NASCAR racing simulator, meet local Nationwide agents and win prizes. The
grand prize for the sweepstakes at the event was the Nationwide VIP
Experience at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, which includes behind-the-scenes
tours.
The NASCAR Nationwide Series will be at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on
Saturday, May 24, 2008, for the Carquest Auto Parts 300. Coverage beings
at 7 p.m. on ESPN 2.
Nationwide, based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest diversified
insurance and financial services organizations in the world, with more
than $161 billion in assets. Nationwide ranks #108 on the Fortune 500
list. The company provides a full range of insurance and financial
services, including auto, motorcycle, boat, homeowners, life, 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.
The NASCAR Nationwide Series logo and word mark are used under
license by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc., and
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. NASCAR ® and the NASCAR logo are
registered trademarks of the National Association for Stock Auto Racing,
Inc. Nationwide SmartRide is a service mark of Nationwide Mutual
Insurance Company. Nationwide, On Your Side and the Nationwide Frame mark
are federally registered service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance
Company.
