Insurance agency offers Teen Safe Driver ProgramSM

The Teen Safe DriverSM, an innovative new program that helps young drivers overcome the challenges of learning how to drive, is now available to American Family's automobile insurance customers in South Dakota. More information is available from American Family insurance agent Mick Breske at 112 W. Main St., Vermillion.

American Family, in association with DriveCam Inc., is providing the year-long Teen Safe Driver at no cost to American Family automobile insurance customers who have a beginning teen driver in their household. The program was piloted March 1 in Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin, expanded to five additional states in August, and is now available in 17 of American Family's operating states.

Teen Safe Driver provides teens and their parents an in-vehicle video and audio unit that captures risky driving behaviors. Parents log in to a Web site, www.teensafedriver.com to view the driving report card, video events and coaching tips, including objective, third-party assessment of the teen driver's driving performance compared with other teens.

"This is a terrific opportunity for parents to help their young drivers identify the issues that all new drivers share," said Breske whose office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. "Teen Safe Driver is a completely voluntary program, and families who are already participating in the pilot program find it really reduces the number of risky driving incidents."

By helping parents provide guidance to their teens, Teen Safe Driver is achieving greater than 70 percent reduction in the frequency and severity of risky driving events among these novice drivers.