The problem
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death and injury for children younger than age 15 in the United States.
State Farm involvement
In 1997, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm formed Partners for Child Passenger Safety (PCPS) to address the fact motor vehicle crashes were the No. 1 killer of children. PCPS created the first national child-focused surveillance system of motor vehicle crashes. The largest study of its kind in the world, it collected information from more than 875,000 crashes involving more than 600,000 children from birth through age 15.
The impact
During the decade-long PCPS effort, significant safety gains were made:
- Since the inception of PCPS, 48 states passed booster seat laws. Many cite PCPS research.
- Between 1999 and 2007, child restraint system use (including booster seats) among 4- to 8-year-olds increased from 15 percent to 63 percent.
- Child restraint system use for all children through age 8 rose from 51 percent in 1999 to 78 percent in 2007.
- Child occupant deaths were reduced by 15 percent.
- Motor vehicle crashes are no longer the leading cause of death of children ages 4 and under. It is still a leading cause, but no longer the leading cause.
State Farm community volunteers began hosting Child Safety Day events in 2004. These included car seat inspections by certified child passenger safety technicians. State Farm associates and agents completed four-day child passenger safety technician training and volunteered time with the aim of teaching parents and caregivers to properly buckle children. State Farm hosted events at more than 2,500 sites nationwide. More than 90,000 child safety seats were inspected.
The problem
The chance of hitting a deer or other large animal doubles in the fall, with the most deer-related claims happening in November, October, and December, in that order. There is an increased risk of collision with deer around dawn and dusk.
State Farm involvement
Since 2002, State Farm has examined its claims data to estimate the number of deer-related claims across the insurance industry. Each year, State Farm shares these estimates externally. In 2019, the reports included other commonly struck animals, such as elk and moose, but deer still represent approximately 79 percent of the total.
The impact
Many state agencies, such as wildlife preservations, use the annual data released by State Farm to study trends in the deer, elk, and moose populations.
The problem
Today’s drivers are surrounded by numerous devices and activities that may distract them from driving. Every day, State Farm makes decisions that affect road safety.
State Farm involvement
State Farm released results of an annual consumer survey spanning eight years that explored distracted driving. The report followed trends in cellphone use and other distractions that take attention off the road. Nearly all drivers reported owning a smartphone. More than half said they used them while driving.
In 2012, State Farm teamed up with the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM) to bring together a panel of experts who identified top tips to stay engaged while driving.
Safe-Driving Tips
- Do not read or send text messages.
- Do not update social media.
- Do not access the internet.
- Do not talk on the phone unless it's connected to the vehicle’s audio.
- Do not check or send emails.
- Do not take selfies or film videos.
- Do not enter destinations into GPS while the vehicle is moving.
- Do keep your phone out of reach. Park in a safe location if you need to use your phone.
- Do ask your passenger to call or text for you.
- Do set your phone to send an automatic reply while you are driving.
- Do nothing that takes attention away from driving safely.
The problem
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States. Teens are nearly four times more likely to be involved in a crash than older drivers.
State Farm involvement
State Farm collaborated with academic and industry leaders in teen driver safety to conduct studies and develop research-based solutions. Those organizations included:
- Governors Highway Safety Association
- Meharry-State Farm Alliance
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
- University of Massachusetts
State Farm added extensive claims data, auto safety initiatives, and its Vehicle Research Facility to CHOP’s expertise to address teen deaths due to motor vehicle crashes.
The impact
Through collaborative research with CHOP, State Farm gained a deeper understanding of the learning-to-drive process and the important role of parents. State Farm launched a teen driver safety website in 2011 to give specific guidance as they go through the learning-to-drive process and beyond. The website provided research-based programs and tools, such as Road Aware®, Road Trips®, and Driver Feedback™.
To help bring attention to the No. 1 killer of teens, State Farm and CHOP worked with Congress in 2007 to designate the third week of October as National Teen Driver Safety Week. Research indicates graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs can significantly reduce teen driver crashes. State Farm has taken an active role in advocating for strengthened GDL laws in many states.
The Meharry-State Farm Alliance worked closely with high schools nationwide to implement student-led service-learning programs focused on seat belt use. The Alliance helped high school students learn how to collect data on seat belt use at their schools, conduct interventions, then collect data again to measure the programs' effectiveness.