WORCESTER, Mass., April 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Hanover Insurance
Group Foundation, Inc. today announced a $20,000 grant to support the Brain
Injury Association of Massachusetts' award-winning Keep Every Youth Safe
(KEYS) program, which educates young drivers about the high risks and
potentially devastating consequences of irresponsible behavior, and supports
them in making smart and safe choices behind the wheel.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051031/NEM023LOGO )
The grant will enable the Brain Injury Association to train additional
presenters, develop course materials and buy equipment, with the goal of
presenting the KEYS program to approximately 5100 students in Worcester County
this year, up 15% from a year ago.
About KEYS
The KEYS program is recommended by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a
standard part of the curriculum for all driving schools. It is aimed at
reducing the number of accidents, fatalities, and incidents of traumatic brain
injury.
One of the biggest challenges in adolescent health education, including
driver's education, is addressing a young person's feeling of invincibility --
the common notion among teenagers that "it won't happen to me." In fact,
statistics tell a far different and very serious story.
Teenage drivers have the highest crash risk of any age group per mile
traveled. One out of every five licensed 16-year-old drivers will be involved
in a vehicle crash, and automobile crashes kill more teens each year than any
other cause. (Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety,
http://www.iihs.org)
The most common causes of crashes among this more young and inexperienced
group of drivers include speeding, multiple distractions -- including cell
phones, CD players, and friends in the car, resistance to wearing seat belts,
and impairment due to drugs or alcohol.
The KEYS program features a dramatic multi-media presentation and
facilitator-led discussion on risky driving behaviors and the far-reaching and
irreversible consequences -- physical, psychological, emotional and financial
-- of traumatic brain injury. Program videos include powerful segments where
survivors discuss their personal experiences, including how their crashes
happened and the long-term impact these tragedies have had on their families
and friends.
"The KEYS program is a real eye-opener," said Tim Cooney, executive
director of the Central Massachusetts chapter of the National Safety Council,
which has honored the KEYS program for its effectiveness. "It absolutely is
having an impact on the young drivers who go through the program, helping to
improve their decision making and bringing to life the consequences of
irresponsible behavior. The Hanover Foundation is to be commended for helping
to make the KEYS program more widely available."
Improving the safety of our roads
"The Hanover Foundation is pleased to help deliver this important and
effective program to more young drivers throughout the region," said Linda
McGowan, president of The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation. "We are deeply
committed to help reduce the number and severity of automobile accidents --
especially those involving young drivers -- and, in this way, help to improve
the safety of our roads and highways for everyone."
"We are very grateful to The Hanover Foundation for its partnership and
for stepping up to help make the KEYS program available to more young drivers
throughout the region," said Michelle Weinstein, director of prevention
programs at the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts. "We read too often
about teens being tragically killed or disabled in car crashes. With this
grant, The Hanover demonstrates its commitment to communities and families
throughout the Worcester region."
About The Brain Injury Association (http://www.biama.org)
The Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts (BIA-MA) provides support,
information and resources to individuals and families who are dealing with
brain injury. The organization develops and presents programs in prevention
awareness, hosts educational conferences, and advocates for legislation and
improved services. BIA-MA was founded by families of survivors who were
frustrated by a lack of understanding of the devastation caused by brain
injury and the corresponding crisis in care. The association was incorporated
in 1982 as a 501(c) 3, non-profit organization in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and is a chartered affiliate of the Brain Injury Association of
America. For more information call the association's Brain Injury Help Line.
(800) 242-0030.
About The Hanover
The mission of The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation, Inc. is to improve
the quality of life in communities where our companies have a major presence,
placing a special emphasis on helping to build world class public education
systems and inspiring and empowering youth to achieve their full potential.
The Foundation is affiliated with The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.
(NYSE: THG), based in Worcester, Mass., which is the holding company for a
group of insurers that includes The Hanover Insurance Company, also based in
Worcester; Citizens Insurance Company of America, headquartered in Howell,
Mich., and their affiliates. The Hanover offers a wide range of property and
casualty products and services to individuals, families and businesses through
an extensive network of independent agents, and has been meeting its
obligations to its agent partners and their customers for more than 150 years.
Taken as a group, The Hanover ranks among the top 40 property and casualty
insurers in the United States. For more information, please visit
http://www.hanover.com.
CONTACTS:
Media Relations
Amy Lynn Banekabanek@hanover.com
(508) 855-4486
BIA-MA Media Relations BIA-MA Prevention Programs
Pamela BushMichelle Weinsteinpbush@biama.orgmweinstein@biama.org
508-475-0032
SOURCE The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation, Inc.
Contact: Amy Lynn Banek, Media Relations of The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation, Inc., +1-508-855-4486, abanek@hanover.com; Pamela Bush, BIA-MA Media Relations, +1-508-475-0032, pbush@biama.org; or Michelle Weinstein, BIA-MA Prevention Programs, mweinstein@biama.org