Farmers Insurance Group Encourages Auto Passengers To 'Buckle Up' This Winter

Los Angeles, CA. - As winter weather continues throughout the country, Farmers Insurance Group encourages everyone to drive safely and use their safety belts. A study of fatal accidents in 2005 by the Farmers' actuarial, pricing, and economic team reveals that safety belts serve as the most important factor in saving lives.

"The Farmers study used a binary logit econometric model to explore the factors surrounding driver fatality, and found that odds of survival increased two and a half times when a driver wore a seat belt compared to a driver who did not. These odds illustrate the overwhelming benefit of using a safety belt," noted the Farmers' team

The Farmers team explained that a study by the United States Department of Transportation (USDT) which uses data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, a publicly accessible database of fatal motor vehicle accidents, found that factors such as winter and night driving, increased speed limit, and substance abuse, all contribute to decreased survival rates. "Statistics show that exercising caution and using your vehicle's safety features help mitigate dangerous conditions," the team said.

Farmers Insurance Group of Companies remains steadfastly committed to drivers' safety and encourages all drivers to buckle up and have a happy and safe 2007.

SOURCE: Farmers Insurance Group of Companies