ANAHEIM, Calif., March 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Distracted Driving
Awareness Month starts next week and, today, the Anaheim Ducks, the
California Highway Patrol (CHP)
and Mercury Insurance got a head start at Honda Center with the
"Mercury Insurance Drive Safe Challenge," a one-day driving school
immersion course designed to equip young drivers with the knowledge
and skills to be safe on the road. Developed by Mercury Insurance
to help reduce car collisions, the program aims to make roads safer
for everyone.
Teens from Southern California
high schools and the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League took
part in the event, where they learned evasive maneuvering for
collision avoidance and car control for slippery surfaces – an
uncommon occurrence in Southern
California – from professional driving instructors.
A blind spot awareness demonstration provided by KKW Trucking
was a new addition to this year's event. It showed participants how
to better share the road with large vehicles like tractor trailers
– fatal accidents involving passenger vehicles and large trucks saw
the highest increase (9%) from 2016 to 2017 for all categories
tracked by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA).
"Ensuring the safety and well-being of their children is every
parent's first priority," said Mercury Insurance Vice President of
Advertising and Public Relations Erik
Thompson. "While we can't be with our kids all the time,
parents of teens going through the Drive Safe Challenge can rest a
bit easier knowing their young drivers have the tools to help avoid
potentially dangerous situations while driving."
According to NHTSA, nearly six teen drivers died in a car crash
each day in 2016 – the leading cause of death for 15- to 19-year
olds nationwide. Among the causes of teenage driving fatalities are
speeding, not wearing a seat belt, driving under the influence,
distracted driving and engaging in risky behavior with other teens
in the car.
"I definitely don't want to be distracted while driving and I
will do everything I can to prevent that," said teen Andrew Barone after driving on a slalom course
while being prompted to send a text.
According to CHP Officer Paul
Fox, inexperience is a major reason why teenagers are
involved in more collisions than those who have more years behind
the wheel.
"Getting a driver's license is a major milestone for young
drivers, but it is also a big responsibility, which is why we
encourage parents to set a good example for their children by
displaying safe driving behavior behind the wheel. After all, safe
driving is about more than just knowing the mechanics of operating
a vehicle," said Officer Fox.
Parents who attended the program were also tested. Outfitted
with goggles to simulate impaired vision, parents were instructed
to drive a vehicle through the course accompanied by a CHP
officer.
"I think Mercury's done an outstanding job offering this course
to so many teen drivers and to the parents, for that matter,
showing us skid patterns and antilock braking," said Harold Jagger, who brought his 15-year-old
daughter to participate in the day's activities. "The DUI course
for the parents – I think that's fantastic. It really gives you an
eye opener to what can happen and what does happen. And teens won't
have practical experience unless they do some courses like
this."
The Mercury Insurance Drive Safe Challenge, initially launched
in 2016, is a free defensive driving program that includes hands-on
driving skills training and an interactive classroom session. This
is the third time the Anaheim Ducks, CHP and Mercury have brought
the program to Anaheim teens and
parents.
"The Anaheim Ducks are committed to making our community a
better place, and partnering in the Mercury Insurance Drive Safe
Challenge helps more than just our teenage participants," said
Anaheim Ducks Vice President and CMO Aaron Teats. "The teen drivers
here today gained knowledge and skills about being safe on the road
which will benefit them, their passengers and other drivers on our
roadways. We're proud to participate in such an important
event."
Mercury Insurance has created a wealth of free information and
tools that parents and teens can use to help prepare for life
behind the wheel and shape responsible driving behavior. Visit
http://drivesafe.mercuryinsurance.com to access tips, videos,
quizzes and much more.
About Mercury Insurance
Mercury Insurance
(MCY) is a multiple-line insurance organization predominantly
offering personal automobile, homeowners and commercial insurance
through a network of independent agents in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New
Jersey, New York,
Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia. Since 1962, Mercury has specialized
in offering quality insurance at affordable prices. For more
information visit www.mercuryinsurance.com or Facebook and follow
the company on Twitter.
About the Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are
commemorating their 25th Anniversary Season presented by UCI Health
in 2018-19. The club was born in 1992 and played its first-ever
game on Oct. 8, 1993 at Honda Center
(then Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim).
One of 31 NHL franchises located throughout the United States and Canada, the Ducks have played to over 90%
capacity crowds in their history at the 17,174-seat Honda Center.
On June 20, 2005, the Ducks franchise
was purchased by Orange County
residents Henry and Susan Samueli. By securing the first
Stanley Cup championship in franchise history in 2007, the club
also became the first team from California to win hockey's ultimate
prize. The Ducks have reached the Conference Finals five times
(2003, 2006, 2007, 2015 & 2017) and the Stanley Cup Final twice
(2003 & 2007). The club has won six Pacific Divisions titles in
franchise history, including five straight from 2013-17.
Anaheim has qualified for the
playoffs 11 times in the last 13 campaigns.
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SOURCE Mercury Insurance