Oct. 16, 2009 (Business Wire) -- Tires squealed and traffic cones were crushed today as teens trained behind-the-wheel in a special obstacle course that revealed the dangers of distracted driving. Allstate Insurance Company hosted the Action Against Distraction teen driving challenge at Cal Expo to show local teens firsthand the dramatic impact of distracted driving habits such as texting and talking on the phone.

“We’re giving teens and parents the opportunity to experience smart decision-making on the road in a safe, hands-on environment,” said Denise Kelly, Allstate exclusive agent in Sacramento.

On a closed course under the guidance of professional driving instructors, teen drivers experienced the before-and-after effect of distractions such as texting, talking on the phone and rowdy passengers, and how they impair driving ability. The advanced training course is being held by Allstate in dozens of cities around the country this year to raise awareness about distracted driving and the need for graduated driving laws nationwide, like those already in place in California.

Research shows that both parents and teens believe alcohol is the cause of most crashes involving teen drivers. However, for teen crashes between 2003 and 2005, the primary cause—87 percent—was driver error.

“Parents and lawmakers are also a big part of the teen smart driving equation,” said Kelly. “Parents need to start a dialogue about driving with their teens and governments need to enact stronger GDL laws for novice teen drivers.”

Research conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development indicates that intervention materials, including parent-teen driving agreements, have a positive influence on newly licensed drivers. Parents can initiate a conversation with their teen about smart driving and the consequences for not living up to those expectations by filing out an interactive contract – setting their own expectation and consequences – available online at www.allstate.com\teen.

About Allstate

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^®” slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help more than 17 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products and services through Allstate agencies, Independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate^®.