Erie Insurance Agents Lookin' Out for 15,447 Teen Drivers
Erie, PA, February 13, 2006 - Erie Insurance Agents are getting involved in their local communities and Lookin' Out for teen drivers. Nearly 32 independent agents across Erie Insurance Group's coverage territory are helping to make a difference with the Lookin' Out safe teen driving program. More than 15,477 high school juniors and seniors from 37 schools in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia have been affected by the program to date.
Erie Insurance Group President and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey A. Ludrof notes emphatically that Lookin' Out is not a marketing program. "Our focus is not to sell insurance to young drivers with Lookin' Out; instead we are hoping to save lives and create better drivers," Ludrof says. "We are working with local Erie Insurance Agents to elevate the awareness of our communities on this very important concern. Traffic accidents are the number one killer of teens. They account for more teen deaths than alcohol, drugs and suicide combined. We believe that an elevated awareness of the risk factors associated with teen driving accidents can help reduce the toll."
Erie Insurance Group provides participating schools with a grant to help spread the word about safe teen driving. The grants are used to fund Lookin' Out safe driving awareness programs and activities in schools. Lookin' Out has been managed successfully in high schools since 2001 and has awarded approximately $130,000 in grants to educate teen drivers.
Lookin' Out is designed by high school students for their peers. Lookin' Out schools operate their program through a student-based committee, co-chaired by an ERIE Agent and a school faculty advisor. Each school tailors the program to address what the students feel are the most pressing driving issues at their school. To engage all students, the Lookin' Out committees plan a number of activities throughout the year to show students the dangers of reckless driving. The activities include driving in the PA DUI Lookin' Out Safety Bug (which simulates driving under the influence), poster contests, speakers, mock crashes, and "Grim Reaper" days, among others.
The students can also participate in a public service announcement (PSA) contest each year. The winning PSA is professionally produced by ERIE's media services team and aired throughout ERIE's territories.
The Erie Insurance Group Lookin' Out program is managed from the Company's home office in Erie, Pennsylvania and administered on a local, community level by ERIE Agents. The Agents participate in the program voluntarily.
Erie Insurance Agent Paul Chadowski of Chadowski Insurance in Fairfax, Virginia and the coordinator of the Lookin' Out program at Woodson High School says, "Through this program, we are focusing on the challenge of traffic fatalities, the number one cause of death among teenagers. The message is actually quite simple - many of these deaths can be avoided because they occur in a simple moment of carelessness. Driving is like any other skill - it requires education, mentoring, practice and life experience to reach proficiency. The students on the committee understand their roles to convey messages their peers will embrace. They have creatively designed a multi-faceted program for their fellow students. They are to be congratulated for their concern and their efforts."
To further expand the number of high schools participating in the program, Lookin' Out has recently teamed up with YOVASO (Youth of Virginia Speak Out) in Virginia schools. The partnership is a mutually beneficial arrangement and YOVASO has already started implementing ERIE's Lookin' Out program as a part of their specialized training sessions held in high schools around the state.
For more information about the Lookin' Out program visit the Lookin' Out web site at www.erieinsurance.com/lookinout or call (814) 870-2285.
2005-06 Lookin' Out Schools and ERIE Agents
Maryland
Sherwood High School (Olney, MD); Alec Aronow, Aronow Insurance
New York
Coxsackie-Athens High School (Coxsackie, NY); Bruce Whiting, Whiting Insurance
Rome Free Academy (Rome, NY); Debbie Adamo, The Rowan Group
Solvay High School (Syracuse, NY); Donald Grimsley, Donald Grimsley Agency
Westmoreland High School (Westmoreland, NY); Maryjane Eisnor, MM Eisnor Agency
Ohio
Van Wert High School (Van Wert, OH); Krista Schlemmer, Leland Smith Insurance
Pennsylvania
Avon Grove High School (West Grove, PA); Rick Volko, Volko Insurance
Bethlehem-Center High School (Fredericktown, PA); Pamela Whyel, Yingling Insurance
Big Spring High School (Newville, PA); John Wolfe, JP Wolfe Agency
Central High School (Erie, PA); Bob Murray, James Murray Insurance
Corry High School (Corry, PA) J.T. Colwell, Rossbacher Insurance
Fairview High School (Fairview, PA); Catherine Valerio, S. P. Black and Associates
Fort Cherry High School (McDonald, PA); Scott Day, Day Insurance
Greenville High School (Greenville, PA); Steve Bittel, Bittel and Company
Jefferson-Morgan High School (Jefferson, PA); Brenda Yingling, Yingling Insurance
Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy (Erie, PA); ERIE Home Office representative
Palmerton High School (Palmerton, PA); Roxanne Snyder, Roscoe P. Snyder Insurance
Penn Trafford High School (Harrison City, PA); Larry George, Larry N. George Agency
Trinity High School (Washington, PA); Laurie Trettel, D'Alesio-Trettel Insurance
Waynesburg Central High School (Waynesburg, PA); Brenda Yingling, Yingling Ins.
West Greene High School (Waynesburg, PA); Brenda Yingling, Yingling Insurance
Virginia
Altavista High School (Altavista, VA); George Taylor, George Taylor Incorporated
Brookville High School (Lynchburg, VA); Brian Noegel, Blue Ridge Insurance Services
Courtland High School (Spotsylvania, VA); Jeff Rainville, The Rainville Agency
Fray Educational Center (Rustburg,VA); Lynne Powers, Wisecarver Insurance
Glenvar High School (Roanoke, VA)
Gretna High School (Gretna, VA); Gracie Adams, Gretna Insurance
Hidden Valley High School (Roanoke, VA); Bob Black, Lockman-Black and Associates
Holy Cross Regional School (Lynchburg, VA); Andy Mathews, Andy Mathews Agency
Massaponax High School (Fredericksburg, VA); Jeff Rainville, The Rainville Agency
Rustburg High School (Rustburg, VA); Lynne Powers, Wisecarver Insurance
Salem High School (Salem, VA); Julie Parsons, Phipps and Kliner Insurance
Tunstall High School (Dry Fork, VA); Ginger Sellers, Sellers Insurance
W. T. Woodson High School (Fairfax, VA); Paul Chadowski, Chadowski Insurance
William Campbell High School (Naruna, VA); Lynne Powers, Wisecarver Insurance
West Virginia
Greenbrier East High School (Lewisburg, WV); Janine Johnson, Morgan & Morgan, Inc.
According to A.M. Best Company, Erie Insurance Group, based in Erie, Pennsylvania, is the 14th largest automobile insurer in the United States based on direct premiums written and the 23rd largest property/casualty insurer in the United States based on total lines net premium written. The Group, rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company, has almost 3.8 million policies in force and operates in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Erie Insurance Group ranked 425 on the FORTUNE 500 and Erie Indemnity Company is included in Forbes Magazine's PLATINUM 400 list of the best-managed companies in America. For more information visit the company's web site at www.erieinsurance.com.
CONTACT:
Amy VanScoter, Corporate Communications
1-800-458-0811 ext. 7568 or 814/870-7568
Amy.VanScoter@erieinsurance.com
Contact Information:
Mark Dombrowski, Corporate Communications
814-870-2285 or 1-800-458-0811, extension 2285
mark.dombrowski@erieinsurance.com
