Two Teams of Minnesota Teens are Among Five Finalist Teams to Perform for Country Music Star Taylor Swift at 'Holiday Holla' Smart Driving Event

Two Teams of Minnesota Teens are Among Five Finalist Teams to Perform for Country Music Star Taylor Swift at 'Holiday Holla' Smart Driving Event

Raising awareness for a deadly time of year for teen drivers, teens will compete for $15,000

MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The team of Nick Bates, 15, Fred Kreider, 15, and Lucas Wiggins, 14, of Minneapolis, as well as the team of Danny Luebke, 18, of Elko, and Carl Turner, 18, of New Prague, have been selected as finalists in a contest that challenged teens to rewrite and perform traditional holiday carols with new, catchy lyrics about smart driving. Keep the Drive -- a teen-led smart driving movement funded by The Allstate Foundation -- created the "Holiday Holla" contest in hopes of raising awareness for the No. 1 killer of teens-car crashes -- during the holiday season, which is a deadly timeframe for teen drivers. In Minnesota, there were 193 crash deaths involving teen drivers, ages 13 to 19, in 2005 and 2006, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

"My band and I are ridiculously excited to have the opportunity to play at the Mall," said Bates. "We're glad to be involved with Keep the Drive and Holiday Holla because we can help lower the rate of teens who die in car accidents every day. I'd like to thank The Allstate Foundation and everyone who voted for us at holidayholla.com."

Both teams will perform their smart driving carols in front of platinum-selling recording artist and celebrity judge Taylor Swift at an event at the Mall of America's Rotunda in Bloomington, Minn., on Saturday, Dec. 8, at noon. Joining the other groups of teen finalists vying for a $15,000 grand prize, Bates, Kreider and Wiggins will entertain the crowd with "Christmas Eve," a punk-rock rendition of the holiday classic "We Three Kings." Luebke and Turner will be performing "Make A Difference," an acoustic rendition of the holiday classic "Good King Wenceslaus." All finalist videos are posted at http://www.holidayholla.com/.

"It's important for teens and their parents to understand how dangerous the holiday season is for teen drivers," said Swift. "Hopefully this contest will get teens to put down their cell phones and MP3 players, pay attention and keep their eyes on the road. There are a lot of little things that we as teens can do to ensure we're driving smart."

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 practice what to say in risky 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 to drive. Familiarize yourself and your teen with these
requirements, and establish your own rules for when, where, how and
with whom your teen may drive. Consider creating a Parent-Teen
Contract this holiday season.

To learn more about the survey conducted by The Allstate Foundation, and for additional state-by-state teen driving statistics, visit http://www.publicaster.com/info/allstate/teendriving/01/ for a press kit. For detailed rules on Holiday Holla, visit http://www.holidayholla.com/. Additional information on teen driving, including tips for parents on positively impacting their teen drivers, is available at http://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 http://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.

FCMN Contact:

http://www.HolidayHolla.com

http://www.KeeptheDrive.com

video
-Pictures from the finalist event with Swift and teen performers
-The top five finalist videos and the winning video for your Web site
-Information on teen driving (statistics on teen car crashes, activism
projects, etc.)
-Interview with Holiday Holla event host and Allstate Insurance agent Dan
Stuart from Saint Anthony, Minn., to discuss Allstate's commitment to teen
smart driving

Source: The Allstate Foundation

CONTACT: Alison Baker, +1-952-346-6442, mobile, +1-612-508-6681,
abaker@webershandwick.com, for The Allstate Foundation; or Sue Duchak of The
Allstate Foundation, +1-847-402-7561, mobile, +1-708-341-6992,
sduch@allstate.com

Web site:

http://www.publicaster.com/info/allstate/teendriving/01

NOTE TO EDITORS: If you're interested in any of the following interview opportunities and/or content, please contact Alison Baker at abaker@webershandwick.com or 952-346-6442. -Interview with the Minnesota finalists to discuss their thoughts on their songs, upcoming performances and the smart driving issue -In-studio performances from the Minnesota finalists during the first week of December -Interview with Taylor Swift to discuss her role in the contest/event, the importance of the teen driving issue and how teens can get involved -Opportunity to come to the event to interview the finalists and Swift and capture your own photos /First Call Analyst:

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