EverQuote Announces 2017 EverDrive Safe Driving Challenge to Curb Distracted Driving During 100 Deadliest Days of Summer

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EverQuote, Inc., the largest U.S. online insurance marketplace, today announced its second annual "EverDrive Safe Driving Challenge," a safe driving contest that awards $50,000 in scholarships to the safest drivers in America. Nationally, any current or new driver who downloads and uses EverQuote's EverDrive app before Labor Day is entered to compete for their state's $1,000 safe driving scholarship.

The challenge kicks off June 8 and lasts through Labor Day (Sept. 4) to promote safer driving habits during the 100 deadliest days of driving for teen drivers, marked from Memorial Day through Labor Day. While scoring for the Challenge will officially start Aug. 21, Safe Driving Challenge participants will begin accumulating miles from the moment they download and use the app - a figure that will be used in the event of a tie.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2015, 2,333 teens aged 16 to 19 years old were killed in auto-related accidents. Despite many states implementing anti-texting or distracted driving laws, distracted driving has become an epidemic sweeping across American roadways, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reporting that distracted driving collisions took 3,477 lives and injured 391,000 in 2015.

"From unruly backseat passengers, social media scrolling, texting, speeding and more, risky and distracted driving takes on many forms but they all have one thing in common - the repercussions can be fatal, even more so during the summer months when teens are on the road traveling with friends," said EverQuote CEO Seth Birnbaum. "EverQuote's Safe Driving Challenge is meant to bring awareness to the serious effects of distracted driving, and encourage teens and parents alike to commit to safer driving this summer in a fun and potentially financially rewarding way."

Data pulled from the EverDrive app found that the average drivetime of users is 21 minutes, with 88 seconds of that time spent on the phone. Considering the NHTSA reports that sending or reading a text takes five seconds of attention off the road, those moments spent staring at a mobile device could equate to driving distracted the length of 17 football fields at the rate of 55 miles per hour.

Additionally, EverQuote found that:   

• Thursday and Friday are the days in which distracted driving is most frequent with over 36 percent of rides on these two days including distracted driving.
• Friday is also the day of the week when drivers put the most "pedal to the metal" with risky acceleration occurring during 15 percent of all drives.
• Speeding occurs most often before rush hour from 5 a.m., to 5:59 a.m., with early bird drivers speeding on more than half of their trips (52 percent).
• Women are more likely (39 percent) than men (36 percent) to use their phones while on the road.
• Drivers 21 and younger (40 percent) are more likely to use their phones during a trip compared to drivers over the age of 21 (36 percent).

To participate in the EverDrive Safe Driving Challenge, new users can download the free EverDrive app available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play. The official scoring of the Safe Driving Challenge begins on Aug. 21 and ends Sept. 4, however user milage begins accumulating the moment the app is downloaded. For more information about the 2017 EverDrive Safe Driving Challenge, visit https://www.everquote.com/everdrive/contests/safe-driving-challenge/.

About EverQuote

Founded in 2011, EverQuote, Inc. operates the leading online insurance marketplace in the U.S. and is one of the fastest growing companies in Boston history. The company's data & technology platform unites drivers with agents and carriers to deliver great rates and coverage while maximizing policies sold for auto insurance providers. EverQuote was founded with the vision of applying a scientific, data-driven approach to help consumers find the best price and coverage for their individual insurance needs. For more information, visit EverQuote.com and follow on Twitter @EverQuoteInsure.

*No purchase necessary. Promotion ends Sept. 4, 2017. Must be at least 16 years old, or legal driving age if older. See full promotion rules at: https://www.everquote.com/everdrive/contests/safe-driving-challenge/

Contact: Ryan Ruffing, 617-206-6561

SOURCE EverQuote, Inc.

Related Links

http://everquote.com