NCHSAA, NATIONWIDE INSURANCE CONTINUE PARTNERSHIP TO HIGHLIGHT TEEN SAFETY

“Buckle Up for a Successful Season” campaign addresses number one killer of teens

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) and Nationwide Mutual Insurance

announced today that they are joining forces once again to promote smart teen driving through the Buckle Up

for a Successful Season campaign.

“Nationwide Insurance should be applauded for its continued commitment and support of the Buckle Up for a Successful Season campaign. On behalf of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, I want to thank Nationwide Insurance for recognizing the significance of this campaign. There is nothing more important than North Carolina’s youth and we all share in the responsibility for their safety,” said Charlie Adams, executive director of the NCHSAA.

“The best way to keep teens safe on the road is by helping them become smart drivers,” said Bill Windsor, associate vice president of safety for Nationwide. “Buckle Up for a Successful Season reminds teens that being a smart driver starts with fastening your seatbelt.” Nationwide operates www.nationwidesmartride.com, a website dedicated to teen driving.

Vehicle crashes remain the number one cause of death for teenagers, accounting for roughly a third of all deaths in this age group. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), teenage drivers and passengers are among those least likely to wear their seat belts. The Buckle Up for a Successful Season campaign has one simple yet powerful goal – to achieve a safer highway environment. The campaign, which commences with the upcoming high school football season, is in its second year.

Buckle Up for a Successful Season is a community-level traffic initiative that involves a large number of the 381 member schools that are part of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. The objective is to promote a safer highway environment by reminding and encouraging student-athletes, coaches, cheerleaders, band members, and fans to buckle up when going to school, practices, games – everywhere, every time. Signs, program advertising and events are among the techniques used at various high schools.

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About Nationwide:

Nationwide, based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest diversified insurance and financial services

organizations in the world, with more than $160 billion in assets. Nationwide ranks #104 on the Fortune 500

list. The company provides a full range of insurance and financial services, including auto, motorcycle, boat,

homeowners, life, commercial insurance, administrative services, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds, pensions,

long-term savings plans and health and productivity services. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com.