Country Music Star Taylor Swift Rewards Top Holiday Carolers at Smart Driving Competition

Country Music Star Taylor Swift Rewards Top Holiday Carolers at Smart Driving
Competition
'Holiday Holla' contest finalists holla about smart driving to help save teen
lives during holidays

BLOOMINGTON, Minn., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Car crashes are the No. 1
killer of teens, taking nearly 6,000 lives a year, and the holiday season is a
deadly time for teen drivers. But that hasn't stopped a group of teens from
spreading good cheer and some smart driving messages. Through one of the first
contests of its kind coined "Holiday Holla," Danny Luebke and Carl Turner,
both 18 from New Prague, Minn., won $15,000, courtesy of The Allstate
Foundation, and were recognized for their creativity in being smart driving
advocates.
"It's still so unreal," said Turner. "We're really excited about this
-- performing was crazy, there were thousands of people there. Danny and I are
so happy to have learned about Keep the Drive and The Allstate Foundation; we
hope our all the other teens out there will check our song out on
HolidayHolla.com and drive smarter as a result."
With the goal of saving lives during the holiday season, Keep the Drive
-- a national teen-led smart driving movement funded by The Allstate
Foundation -- challenged teens from across the country to rewrite and perform
(or "holla") holiday carols with new, catchy lyrics about smart driving. From
the many entries, teens voted on their favorites and the top five most popular
performers belted it out at the final event where a panel of teen judges
selected the grand prize winner.
Luebke, Turner and the four other teams of finalists from across the
country performed at Mall of America on Dec. 8. The duo won the adoration of
the crowds and judges with their song "Make a Difference," an upbeat acoustic
version of the holiday carol "Good King Wenceslaus." Their smart driving
lyrics and catchy melody even impressed Grammy(R) nominee, double platinum-
selling recording artist and Holiday Holla judge Taylor Swift.
"Car crashes are the No. 1 killer of teens," said Swift. "That's a scary
fact, but something we as young drivers have the power to change. It's great
for me to have this forum to reach out to my fellow teen drivers to promote
smart driving in a fun way, especially during the holidays. Hopefully teens
will start to think twice before doing something dangerous like text messaging
while driving."
The Holiday Holla event culminated with Swift presenting Luebke and Turner
with the $15,000 grand prize, followed by the lighting of the Holiday Holla
tree-an 11-foot tall tree strung with 6,000 lights to symbolize the 6,000 teen
lives Keep the Drive-through its teen advocates around the country and other
teens-strives to save in 2008. After the lighting ceremony, Swift performed
five of her hit songs, including the holiday favorite "Santa Baby."
Nick Bates, 15, Fred Kreider, 15, and Lucas Wiggins, 14, all of
Minneapolis, Minn., sang "Christmas Eve," a punk rock version of "We Three
Kings." They took home second place and the $3,000 runners-up prize. "Lauren
Lindstrom, 17, of Santa Cruz, Calif, Zoe Novic, 16, of Ben Lomond, Calif, and
Eli Zinman, 16 of Santa Cruz, Calif, won $1,500 for third place.
According to a national survey of teens conducted by The Allstate
Foundation, more than half (53 percent) of teens say their friends are the
most effective influence in getting them to drive more safely. The Holiday
Holla contest leveraged the power of the peer-to-peer approach to spread smart
driving messages in an unconventional way among teens.
Holiday Driving Tips for Teens
-- Keep your eyes on the road. According to a national survey of teens
conducted by The Allstate Foundation, 56 percent of teens talk on their
cell phones while driving, and 13 percent read or write text messages.
Driving with distractions is a major cause of crashes. Make it a goal
to celebrate 2008 with your friends instead of the mortician.

-- Slow down. The survey also found nearly 90 percent of teens admit to
speeding. Speeding is one of the main causes for teen car crashes. Be a
rebel and drive the speed limit this holiday season.

-- "Holla" at your friends. Half of teens from the survey said they
wouldn't speak up if a friend was driving recklessly. Would you speak
up if your life was in danger? If not, make a New Year's resolution to
grow a backbone.

-- Use your buckle. Roughly two-thirds of teens who die in car wrecks are
not buckled up, reports the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
This season, give your friends the gift of life and tell them to buckle
up.

Tips for Parents on How to "Holla" about Smart Driving in the New Year
-- Practice what you preach. Be a positive role model when you're behind
the wheel. Your teen is more likely to be a calm driver, put down the
phone and mp3 player, wear a seat belt and follow the rules of the road
if they see you do the same.

-- Don't rush the training process. Just because teens have permits or
licenses, doesn't mean they're ready for every driving condition. The
roads are especially dangerous during inclement weather. By easing into
the training process, you'll ensure your teen will be ready for most
situations.

-- Empower your teen. Being a passenger in another teen's car can put your
teen at risk. Make sure your teen knows it's okay to say something if
he/she is uncomfortable while riding with a friend and help your teen
to practice what to say in these situations.

-- Understand your state's laws. Every state has Graduated Driver
Licensing to help new drivers get their initial on-the-road driving
experience under lower-risk conditions, protecting them while they are
learning. Familiarize yourself and your teen with these requirements,
and establish your own rules for when, where, how and with whom your
teen may drive.

For more information on Holiday Holla and to view the finalists' videos,
visit www.HolidayHolla.com. To learn more about the survey, and for state-by-
state teen driving statistics, visit
here for a press kit.
Additional information on teen driving, including tips for parents on
positively impacting their teen drivers, is available at
www.ProtectTeenDrivers.com.
About Keep the Drive
Keep the Drive is a national teen-led smart driving movement funded by The
Allstate Foundation. It educates teens about the issue, impacts the way they
think and act in the car and empowers them to become smart driving activists
in their schools and communities. For more information, visit
www.KeeptheDrive.com.
About The Allstate Foundation
The Allstate Foundation is an independent, private, non-profit
organization funded by subsidiaries of The Allstate Corporation. Since 1952,
the Foundation has developed and funded programs in communities across the
United States. Today, the Foundation focuses on three areas: safe and vital
communities; tolerance, inclusion and diversity; and economic empowerment.
Teen driving has been a priority for the Foundation since 2005.
Contacts:
Whitney Mares
952.346.6508 (w); 612-963-8619 (c)

Sue Duchak
847.402.7561 (w); 708-341-6992 (c)

SOURCE The Allstate Foundation

Whitney Mares, +1-952-346-6508 or cell, +1-612-963-8619, for The Allstate
Foundation; or Sue Duchak, +1-847-402-7561 or cell, +1-708-341-6992,
sduch@allstate.com, both of The Allstate Foundation