GEICO supports Graduated Driver Licensing as strongest factor in reducing teen crashes

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WASHINGTON, D.C., July 13, 2009 – With school out for summer, teens will be getting behind the wheel for some fun and sun with their friends. In order to help your teen stay safe, GEICO urges all parents to support and enforce their local Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws.

Not sure what the latest teen driving laws are in your state? You can review them at GEICO's teen driving site.

According to a study done by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), GDL laws with a good rating from the Institute are associated with lower fatal crash rates among teen drivers and lower insurance losses.

Teenagers 16 – 19 years old have the highest crash rate of any age group. To counter this problem, states have adopted graduated systems to phase in driving skills for beginners as they mature and gain more experience. IIHS reports that states with GDL laws have seen 10-30 percent reduction in crashes.

GDL guidelines include a learner's stage at age 16 and a required minimum of 30 hours of practice driving before moving onto the intermediate stage, which has restrictions on night driving and the number of teen passengers.

Thirty three states and the District of Columbia have laws that are rated good by IIHS. To learn more about your local GDL laws and see where your state ranks, visit IIHS for more information.

For information on GEICO's teen safe driving program, visit GEICO's Auto Safety Library.

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and is the third-largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States.* GEICO handles auto insurance coverage for 11 million private passenger auto policies and insures more than 17.5 million vehicles.

In addition to auto insurance, GEICO offers customers insurance products for their motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), travel trailers and motor homes (RVs). Coverage for life, boats, homes and apartments is available through the GEICO Insurance Agency. Commercial auto insurance and personal umbrella protection are also available.

As a member of the Berkshire Hathaway group of companies, GEICO is rated A++ for financial strength by A.M. Best Company and ranks at the top of several national customer satisfaction surveys. For more information, go to http://www.geico.com.

*A.M. Best

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