Allstate Revs Up Motorcycle Safety Sign Program to Warn Motorists of Dangerous Intersections

NORTHBROOK, Ill., May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- To kick off National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month (May), Allstate Insurance Company will continue its efforts to donate standardized warning signs for motorcycle safety with its "Once is Never Enough" (ONE) program with the first installation of 2013. ONE is an awareness campaign that encourages people to look twice for motorcycles at intersections and aims to help reduce the number of motorcycle crashes at intersections by proposing installations of permanent motorcycle warning signs in 20 U.S. cities this year. Additionally, a new Allstate Motorcycle Facebook mapping application was created in response to the numerous requests from the rider community to help bring awareness to other hazardous road conditions.

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"It's a known fact that motorcycle collisions with autos can have some of the most tragic consequences and it's been our goal to help ensure the roads are shared safely by all motorists and riders," said Keith Rutman, vice president of Allstate's Specialty Lines unit. "The ONE program has received outstanding support from the rider community and our local jurisdiction partners. We wanted to provide an outlet for people to share their stories, reach other riders and warn them on a peer level about potential risks a rider can face."

Launching with the 2013 kickoff of the ONE program is the Rider Risk Map^(SM), an application on the Allstate Motorcycle Facebook page where the community can view current ONE installations across the United States in addition to flagging potential road hazards. With each flag submission, the application user can post photos of the road and leave commentary about the hazards, encouraging open dialog for other riders to voice their experiences. The interactive map of North America also allows riders to plan their routes and see the road hazards other users have posted along the way.

A new study indicates motorcycle fatalities have increased approximately 9 percent in 2012, resulting in nearly 5,000 deaths and an all-time high over the past decade.[i] Currently, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has no standard sign for motorcycle awareness in its Manual of Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Simply reading, "Watch for Motorcycles," a sign was developed by Allstate in 2012 and it was ruled in compliance with the MUTCD by the FHWA.

"We've definitely seen an increased level of activism from the rider community," said Rutman. "The ONE program and Allstate Motorcycle Facebook page are here to facilitate conversations about motorcycle safety awareness and start a movement to help decrease motorcycle-auto collisions in the future."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 46 percent of all multi-vehicle crashes occur at intersections, often times as a result of a vehicle turning left, impeding the motorcyclist's right-of-way.[ii]  The ONE program's yellow, diamond-shaped warning sign was created following two years of development, which included temporary installations in various U.S. cities between 2010 and 2011.  The signs were designed to establish a standardized warning device that can be used by any local or state agency and would be recognizable to riders and motorists across the country. Through this program, Allstate works with local traffic authorities to identify dangerous intersections for riders and then donates and installs warning signs at the determined locations to increase awareness of motorcycles.

The first 2013 permanent installation of the "Watch for Motorcycles" warning signs will take place today in Strongsville, Ohio, outside of Cleveland. Working closely with the City of Strongsville, Allstate is donating and installing the warning signs to help prevent motorcycle crashes at dangerous intersections in the future. Additional signs will be installed in other cities across the country throughout the year.

Now in its fifth year, Allstate's ONE program has evolved from general motorcycle awareness education, to installing temporary warning signs at dangerous intersections in more than 30 cities from 2010 through 2011, to 16 permanent installations in 2012 of the warning signs promoting motorcycle safety.

Allstate will continue to work with local departments of transportation across the country to identify dangerous intersections and donate and install additional signs in the future.

About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, serving approximately 16 million households through its Allstate, Encompass, Esurance and Answer Financial brand names and Allstate Financial business segment. Allstate branded insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services are offered through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives, as well as via www.allstate.com, www.allstate.com/financial and 1-800 Allstate^®, and are widely known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With Allstate^®." As part of Allstate's commitment to strengthen local communities, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate employees, agency owners and the corporation provided $29 million in 2012 to thousands of nonprofit organizations and important causes across the United States.

Related Links
Allstate Motorcycle Facebook Page
Allstate Newsroom
Allstate Website

SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company