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X the TXT: Thumbs Up to the Safest Holiday Ever

Do you have a teen driver? As the mom of a teen driver I am concerned each and every time they pull out of the driveway. I want her to have a cell phone in case of emergency, but I worry that she will text while driving and have an accident. I think all parents of teens have these fears. I have preached to her about the danger of driving and texting…but it all hit home when a friend had a terrible accident because she was texting and broke her neck. It took months of painful rehab for her to be functional again.

Climbing behind the wheel means freedom and independence for teenagers. Kids everywhere wait impatiently for the day they hit that special age and their parents finally hand them the keys to the family car. But studies by The Allstate Foundation have found that teens are particularly susceptible to dangerous distractions, highlighting the need for us as parents to sit down early on with our teens to discuss safe driving.

These days, more and more teenagers own up to using their cell phones to text while driving. According to The Allstate Foundation, two thirds of teens admit to texting and instant messaging while behind the wheel! Yet nearly 81% of teens rate parents as their number one driving influencers. Knowing this, how can we as Moms not take steps to ensure we set a good example and make safe driving a priority? Especially when recent research by Virginia Tech’s Transportation Institute reveals that texting while driving can increase the risk of an accident by 23 times.

Allstate’s “X the TXT: Thumbs Up to the Safest Holiday Ever” campaign challenges teens and parents alike to make the pledge not to text and drive. By joining the cause at www.causes.com/thumbsup, you’re pledging to put your cell phone down behind the wheel. For each person who takes the pledge, Allstate will donate $1 to the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) - a collaborative network of national organizations and federal agencies that serve youth and focus on youth safety and health - for safe teen driving programs.

As part of the campaign, a 30-city “X the TXT” tour kicks off this holiday season during which teens and their families can add their thumbprints to a pledge banner as a public commitment not to text and drive. Please support this worthy cause by clicking on the above link and making your pledge or by visiting a tour site and adding your thumbprint to the banner!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of The Allstate Foundation. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Tags: allstate, cause, driving, teens, texting, x the txt