Why do most 16-year-olds drive like they're missing a part of their brain? B/c they are.

[iamnigel]

http://www.allstate.com/content/refr...s/Brain-Ad.pdf

"Why do most 16-year-olds drive like they're missing a part of their brain? Because they are." - Allstate Insurance Advertisement

I saw this ad somewhere recently. And it made me want to scream when I saw it. Honestly, this shit should be libel or slander, only against a group. [Of course, that's crap, but would be nice lol.]

Anyway, I couldn't where exactly I found this ad, but when I used Google to try and figure out where it was advertised, I found out that people were certainly considering the advertisement and already using it against teens, because I saw people citing this ad in their teens-suck-at-life arguments.

Anyway, I think NYRA should write a letter to the pricks at Allstate, which will almost certainly not change their mind, but if they ever do take the ad down, we can say we were helpful in that. And besides may make the people at Allstate reconsider writing off whole groups as dumbasses - although, I wouldn't count on it. P.S. If we write a letter, I'd be glad to write it.

Anyway, just thought I'd post this ad [the link is at the top of the post] to piss off my fellow youth rights activists.

[SciVille]

Yeah, that's been running for like three years now. :\

Thanks for telling me they are still running. I'd been meaning to write a letter to Allstate lately (since I recently sort of switched away from them because of that ads) but held back because I wasn't sure if they were even still running. Will do now.

[iamnigel]

If we email the letter to Epstein, he may sign off his support at the bottom.

[SciVille]

I meant a letter from myself informing them that I switched away from them because they are working against youth while I'm working so hard for youth and they are therefore against my interests. That but stronger and better worded, hehe.

[Agnapostate]

That's why I laughed when Jonas got divorced on the last episode of The Unit.

[iamnigel]

Your idea for a personal letter is a good one. NYRA should write one too. Ya think?

And, Agnapostate, I had to google Jonas and the Unit to understand that.

[KPalicz]

Wow, I didn't know those were still running. Ugh.

We got some press speaking out against these terrible ads a while back:
http://www.youthrights.org/article.php?threadid=11585

[slider2641]

Adults are more likely to have bad habits, be conceited, drive drunk, and not learn from mistakes.
Senior citizens sometimes lose their eyesight, but no one questions their ability to drive.
Youths are just inexperienced.

[UnschoolEagle]

GDL
laws in the country, it has seen a 25% decline in
crashes involving 16-year-olds.

Give adults the same restrictions and I bet there will be a decline in crashes for adults. What a shitty correlation.

[slider2641]

natural: 1 inexperienced driver with 4 passengers
legal: 5 inexperienced drivers

There's no way this can make it safer. Perhaps the decline in crashes is because youths are just more responsible now.

[Jarlaxle]

Actually, it's probably because many cars keep people from killing themselves when they ignore their LOW SKILL warnings. Heck, my car has ABS, traction control, and stability control that can't be turned off.

[iamnigel]

@Jarlaxle I never thought of that, but, of course, improved safety features - that you can't even turn off - that have been invented since the there were no GDL policies, will screw up the numbers.

But another thing I realized from Alex Palicz's recent GDL article in the Detroit Free Press is when Alex noted that many teen drivers just wait until they are actually 18 to get their license instead of jumping through the GDL hoops. What I realized, is that the numbers of teens not driving, will certainly add to the number of teens not dying in car accidents. :/ :/

[time-keeper]

it's not just allstate...i saw a commercial from Mercury insurance where this teen parked his mom's car in a golf course, but i guess they were implying that they're not very experienced, so he praked it too close to the golf course and golf balls smashed the windows.

[SciVille]

Allstate's contact info: http://www.allstate.com/contactus.aspx

* Call us at 1-800-ALLSTATE (1-800-255-7828)

* Send us an e-mail: https://messaging.allstate.com/Corp/...ocessEmail.asp

* Write to us. General correspondence can be sent to:

Allstate Insurance Company
P.O. Box 12055
1819 Electric Rd. S.W.
Roanoke, VA 24018

* Corporate Headquarters

2775 Sanders Road
Northbrook, IL 60062
847-402-5000


Get to it and post what you write and receive here!

[SciVille]

Done! Here it is:

Dear Allstate,

Recently, I was shopping around for car insurance. I checked several companies, but Allstate was not one of them. Why? Because Allstate feels the need to run magazine ads spreading disgusting lies about teenagers missing parts of their brains. I will not do business with a company like that. As a youth rights advocate, these sort of ad campaigns work against everything my colleagues and I are giving our lives to work for. Spreading these negative stereotypes about teenagers not only doesn't make your insurance policies or your company look any more appealing even to a neutral observer, but these widespread beliefs cause real harm to young people. Telling people that teenagers can't think for themselves not only causes teens to be mistrusted and prevented from gaining experience they'll need to have in adulthood, but also it contributes to them being mentally and physically abused. When you spread the idea that a group of people are mentally inferior, people will treat them that way. By running these "teen brain" ads, Allstate is stating they are fine with teenagers being treated as less than human. As such, as long as the company chooses to promote itself this way and without an apology, I will never buy an Allstate insurance policy and will do all I can to persuade others not to.

Sincerely,
Katrina Moncure
National Youth Rights Association

[KPalicz]

@Jarlaxle I never thought of that, but, of course, improved safety features - that you can't even turn off - that have been invented since the there were no GDL policies, will screw up the numbers.

But another thing I realized from Alex Palicz's recent GDL article in the Detroit Free Press is when Alex noted that many teen drivers just wait until they are actually 18 to get their license instead of jumping through the GDL hoops. What I realized, is that the numbers of teens not driving, will certainly add to the number of teens not dying in car accidents. :/ :/

Yea, exactly. They get to do studies that look only at 16 and 17 year old drivers and say "oh look these laws are doing so great!" but they are only looking at part of the picture. Just like how they point to all sorts of life saving benefits of raising the drinking age but don't pay attention to saved lives from seat belts or better education. Stats are more or less all bullshit and people twist them to suit their agenda.

[iamnigel]

From Nigel:

Less that dear Allstate,
My parents used Allstate for a decade before you guys started running an ad asking the question, "Who do most 16-year-olds drive like they are missing a part of their brain?" And before you falsely answered, "Because they are." As a teenager, I've seen many ads deriding young people, but these are the most offensive and contemptuous that I have ever had the misfortune of seeing.

Not only is the idea that teen brains are deficient totally unhelpful in your pursuit of selling more insurance even to the most anti-youth potential customer or existing customer, but your ad is scientifically unfair. We are not advanced enough to draw conclusions on the neurology of teens; environment affects the brain and one thing that slows growth is overprotection (scientifically proven), which teens get a lot of. But I'm no scientist. What is sure is that claiming that a large chunk of people have inferior brains to yourselves is potentially the most dangerous thing that can be done to a group. And phony science has been leveled at every marginalized group; you guys are no better. I'm not sure what compelled you guys to run these unconvincing, inaccurate and dangerously offensive ads, but as a soon-to-be teen driver, I'm going to use what brain I do have to choose to buy any insurance but Allstate.

[SciVille]

Nice.

By the way, they did reply to me, but not much of a reply. Something like "we'll need your address before we can continue with your request" or something. Yeah, something's fishy there...

[iamnigel]

They want your address so they can come get you, Katrina, to spread their ageism all over you. :/

[kingnixon]

i wish i could remember what i initially wrote, but i sent a message to allstate through their site about these ads, and just got this response:


Dear Mr. Widrew

We believe that everyone deserves an individual response, and we value the questions and feedback we receive. Therefore, we’d like to take this opportunity to respond to your email.

We appreciate your interest in our advertising. We strive to produce advertising messages that appeal to a wide audience, and that showcase the integrity, strength, knowledge and experience that Allstate represents. The ad which you referenced is part of a series of ads designed to create awareness about the issue of Teen Safe Driving, specifically the need for stricter GDL laws. According to the Centers for Disease Control, when states have implemented comprehensive GDL programs, the number of fatal crashes among 16 year old drivers has fallen almost 40%. In 2007 and 2008, Allstate and The Allstate Foundation joined forces to educate the public, alter attitudes and change behaviors around this deadly epidemic.

Allstate also sponsors campaigns intended to encourage all drivers to drive more safely, such as a recent campaign which is designed to raise awareness and educate drivers about the hazards of texting while driving. We appreciate your interest in our efforts and hope you’ll help us support making America a safer place to drive.

Sincerely,

Darlene Saunders
Customer Resolution Specialist


i wrote back with

i wish i could remember precisely what it was i wrote, because i suspect you've sidestepped the issue. first, your ad is factually wrong. there is no science i am aware of that supports your assertions about teenage brain development. second, your statistic isn't surprising, but it is misleading. of course people in GDL programs are going to see benefits; that isn't because they're young, but because they're inexperienced. statistics supports this -- people are more dangerous drivers in their first couple of years, no matter what age they started at. but rather than suggest the controversial but honest answer, that all new drivers should go through a GDL program, you instead target young drivers who have no voice politically and little economically. this is a bigoted discriminatory solution that leaves many people in danger from new drivers over the age required of GDL programs.