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 Each year in the U.S., car crashes take the lives of nearly 6,000 teens and injure
approximately 300,000 – many seriously and for life. To raise additional and ongoing
awareness of this critical issue, National Organizations for Youth Safety
(NOYS) teamed up with Allstate Insurance Company to award $1,000 to Mohonasen High
School for excellence in implementing a program that helps bring safe teen driving to
the forefront in the Rotterdam area.
Mohonasen High School joins 49 other youth organizations and communities
nationwide, sharing $50,000 in total grant money. The request for award entries
kicked off May as the first-ever National Youth Traffic Safety Month.
Mohonasen High School won the award for their innovative campaign promoting
safe teen driving. The project, entitled “Mock DWI,” featured two events designed by
Rotterdam Police Sgt. Thomas Culbert, a School Resource Officer assigned to Mohonasen
High School. The first part was a Mock DWI Crash, followed by a presentation given
by a victim of an actual DWI accident. The objective was to demonstrate, before
prom and graduation season, the possible outcomes of combining drinking and
driving, including property damage, arrest, injury and death. Approximately 1,200
students in grades nine through 12 took part in the Mock DWI project.
Culbert says that discussions have begun concerning the best use of the $1,000
prize, but hinted at using it for more DWI education and prevention activities. This
year marked the fourth year of Mock DWI, and it is likely to continue in future years,
especially since there were no alcohol-related accidents during Mohonasen High
School’s prom and graduation seasons.
The programs entered in this first-ever competition were varied, ranging from online communities
with more than 16,000 teens sharing stories and advice, to a group that staged mock car crashes
so fellow teens could witness the devastating results of a serious crash firsthand.
“Allstate is committed to promoting safe driving and our hope is that programs such as Mock
DWI will engage teens in discussion and underscore the importance of safe and responsible driving,”
said Julie Baldes, Schenectady Allstate Agent.
As a result of the campaign’s success, NOYS will extend the campaign into a five year program.
For further information, visit www.noys.org.
“National Organizations for Youth Safety is honored to work with Allstate and we appreciate the
leadership Allstate has shown in encouraging and rewarding youth leaders who are creating National
Youth Traffic Safety Month projects in their communities,” said Sandy Spavone, executive director,
National Organizations for Youth Safety.
Parent Involvement
Parents in the Rotterdam, NY area can visit their local Allstate Agent or
www.Allstate.com/teen
for resources and tips on how to talk to their teens about safe driving and engage their community to
create a culture of safe driving. Allstate, in conjunction with Discovery Education, created an educational
DVD for teens called “Drive It Right.” Allstate also developed a Parent-Teen Driving Contract
that features key areas for discussion and agreement.
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 helps individuals
in approximately 17 million households protect what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow
through approximately 14,800 exclusive agencies and financial representatives in the U.S. and
Canada. Customers can access Allstate products and services such as auto insurance and homeowners
insurance through Allstate agencies, or in select states at allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®. Encompass® and Deerbrook® Insurance brand property and casualty products are sold exclusively through
independent agents. The Allstate Financial Group provides life insurance, supplemental accident and
health insurance, annuity, banking and retirement products designed for individual, institutional and
worksite customers that are distributed through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, financial
institutions and broker-dealers.
About National Organizations for Youth Safety
National Organizations for Youth Safety™ (NOYS) is a coalition of national organizations and
federal agencies who serve youth and focus on youth safety and health. Through this coalition, NOYS
influences more than 80 million young people and their adult advisors. The mission of NOYS is to
promote youth empowerment and leadership, and build partnerships that save lives, prevent injuries,
and enhance safe and healthy lifestyles among all youth.
Photo caption: School
Resource Officer Sgt. Thomas Culbert holds Mock DWI
certificate and plaque.
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