The Allstate Blog » Teenager

Has Your Child’s Identity Been Stolen? Know the Warning Signs

Melissa — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:00:04 +0000

Many of us have heard the warnings about identity theft. But, did you know that your children can fall victim to identity theft too? Recent statistics show that it happens. Carnegie Mellon University's CyLab found that 10.2 percent of 40,000 children involved in a 2011 study were victims of identity theft. Childhood identity theft can have devastating long-term financial implications. It can affect a child’s ability to take out a student loan, receive a scholarship or get a credit card. Identity theft may even impact future job opportunities.

Child Identity Theft Warning Signs

How do you know if your child’s identity has been stolen? Be vigilant about protecting your child's identity, and watch for the following red flags:

Unsolicited credit card offers. Have you received one or more unsolicited credit card offers in your child’s name? Credit card offers are never intentionally sent to minors.
Social Security account statement. These statements track annual contributions and anticipated benefits. Unless your child has a part-time job, an earnings statement in your child’s name is a clear indicator of fraud.
A bill or a collection agency call for your child. Don’t dismiss this as a case of mistaken identity. A call from bill or collection agency can be a clear sign of identity fraud.
The Internal Revenue Service contacts you about your child. If the IRS informs you that your toddler hasn't paid his income taxes, this is a warning sign that someone may be masquerading as your son.

Tips for Preventing Child Identity Theft

Identity protection for your child starts with some privacy precautions. Here are some tips that may help reduce your child’s risk for identity theft:

Be proactive. Start by checking with the fraud divisions of all three credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Credit reporting agencies typically do not keep a report on file for minors. If there is a report, then there’s a good chance that your child’s identity is compromised.} And consider purchasing identity restoration coverage, which can help protect you and your family against identity theft and help repair any damage to your identity. Talk to an Allstate agent for more information.
Be cautious when giving out your child’s Social Security number. If a school, youth sports team, or a medical office asks for your child’s Social Security number, know that it’s OK to question why they need it, what they will do with it and how they plan to keep it safe.
Shred anything with your child’s personal information. Shred forms, documents and mail before disposal.
Never carry your child’s Social Security card. To help reduce the risk for theft; leave you child’s card -- and the cards of all the members of your family -- in a safe place, like a safe at home or a safe deposit box.

What to Do If Your Child's Identity is Stolen

If you find out that someone has stolen your child's identity, there are some steps you can take to minimize the damage. If you discovered that a credit report (fraudulently) exists for your child, contact any one of the three major credit bureaus (that bureau is legally required to alert the other two) and ask them to put a "fraud alert" on the file. Report the identity theft to the FTC. Also, contact your local police department to file a report. By taking a few simple proactive steps, and staying alert to early warning signs, you can minimize your child's risk for identity theft or the impact it will have should it ever occur. What concerns you most about someone's stealing your child's identity? Share your thoughts below.

Rethinking the Minimum Driving Age

Melissa — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 11:00:41 +0000

It’s a rite of passage. Who doesn’t remember the anticipation and the satisfaction of getting your license for the first time? But, given what we know today about accident statistics, brain development and maturity, should we rethink the minimum age? We took a poll, asking, "What do you think should be the minimum age to obtain a driver’s license?" As of June 8, 2012, nearly half of the people polled thought the age should be 18.

How young are people driving in the U.S.?

In the vast majority of states, the minimum age for unsupervised driving is 16. The youngest legal drivers are in South Dakota at 14 years, 6 months. The oldest minimum age for driving is inNew Jersey at 17 years old. But, there are an increasing number of restrictions that vary by state for drivers under 18. Restrictions include night driving, the number of passengers allowed in the vehicle, mobile phone usage and more. [caption id="attachment_2862" align="alignright" width="300"] What do you think should be the minimum age to obtain a driver’s license? These were the results when 16,832 people were asked this question.[/caption]

Accident stats examine under-18 driving records

Driving accidents are the leading cause of death for people under the age of 18. More than 4,000 teens die in car crashes every year. Teens crash four times more often than members of any other age group. Many people would consider these statistics enough reason to increase the driving age to 18. But, are these stats based upon inexperience or upon age? Interestingly enough, studies show New Jersey, which has a minimum driving age of 17, has a consistently lower number of teen driving fatalities.

How does the U.S. compare to the rest of the world?

The majority of the globe—including many countries in Europe, Africa, South America, the Caribbean, Central America, and the Middle East—sets the minimum unsupervised driving age at 18, with a handful of countries, such as the UK and Ireland, at 17. So, can we learn anything from the teen accident statistics in countries with higher age requirements? According to the World Health Organization, across all age groups, the road road traffic deaths per 100,000 inhabitants of each country were as follows in 2006 and 2007:

Sweden: 5.2 (2007)
U.K.: 5.4 (2006)
Ireland: 8.5 (2006)
Germany: 6 (2007)
United States: 13.9 (2006)

Raising the minimum driving age poses inconvenience

As activities and work obligations increase, many parents state that they need the 16-year-old in their family to drive. Some argue that it is unfair to prohibit more responsible teenagers from driving. Even given the accident and fatality statistics, the point can be made that there are many fatalities in other age groups, as well.

Is the 16-year-old brain ready for driving?

Newer studies of the human brain have revealed that the prefrontal cortex is not fully "connected" until the mid-20s. This is the part of the brain that weighs outcomes, forms judgments and controls impulses and emotions. So the typical teenage lapses in judgment may have a physiological component. In addition, active hormones in a teenager’s brain limit the ability to control moods and increases desire for thrill-seeking behavior. So, when it comes to making critical decisions regarding risky driving situations, the teen brain may not make the same judgment calls as the over-25 brain. Learning to drive is part of growing up. But finding the perfect minimum age for driving could be as complicated as the teenage personality itself. So what do you think? Are American teens mature enough to drive?

The Go-Nowhere Generation: For Teens, Facebook Trumps Driving

Jen — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 10:00:41 +0000

For many teenagers of the past, turning 16 was more than just a rite of passage; it meant freedom. The thrill of holding that small, shiny piece of plastic: a driver’s license. And while parents were (understandably) reluctant to turn over the car keys, that license was synonymous with independence. Even if the furthest place many teens drove each day was to the high school and back home, that little sliver of plastic represented a boundless future of travel and possibility. Road trips, Route 66, the Pacific Coast Highway: the future was calling! Despite the excitement I felt as a new driver, my friends and I were part of a dying trend. Over the last three decades, the rate at which teenagers obtain driver’s licenses has sharply declined. According to a study by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute, in the early 1980s, 80 percent of teenagers had a license by age 18. As of 2008, that number had decreased to 65 percent.

Recent estimates suggest that the number of teenagers with driver’s licenses continues to fall.

A 2011 report by the Connecticut DMV estimated that less than half of all 17-year-olds had a license, a decline of nearly 10 percent in just three years. A combination of factors may be to blame. Studies show that today’s youth are more risk adverse than previous generations, in part due to coming of age during a challenging state of the economy. And those sky-high gas prices sure don’t help. And thanks to high teenage traffic fatalities, fewer parents are willing to be new car buyers for their teenagers. Are stricter teenage licensing requirements also to blame? In response to high teenage traffic fatalities, an increasing number of states are instituting strict driver education and licensing programs. When I got my license, all I had to do was pass a basic driving test, complete a classroom workshop and be 16 years old. Today, teenagers in the state of Virginia are required to complete a certain number of hours driving with adult supervision and be at least 16 years, 3 months. Other states are far stricter. Maryland, for example, requires all teenagers to complete its “Rookie Driving” course. Drivers are issued provisional licenses upon successfully completing at least 60 hours of supervised driving with their parents, 10 hours of which must occur during the dawn/dusk hours. Provisional drivers are also not allowed to have passengers under the age of 18, unless they are siblings or accompanied by a supervising adult.

These restrictions are designed to reduce accidents by increasing experience.

While the current state of the economy and even stricter driving laws are pushing back the age at which teenagers obtain a license, the real culprit may be Facebook. A recent article in the New York Times posited that social networking and technology are reducing teenagers’ desire to have a driver’s license. The University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute found a correlation between time spent on Facebook and the Internet and a delay in getting a license. “More time on Facebook probably means less time on the road,” Michael Sivak, a professor at theUniversityofMichigan, told the New York Times. Thanks to all the driving restrictions, teenagers are more excited about the latest smartphone rather than a driver’s license. According to automobile safety expert David Preusser, a license is simply not as valuable as it once was. Preusser told the Hartford Courant last year that “Licenses are not as valuable … It's somewhat less desirable, so fewer kids are going after it."

Tell us: What do you think is responsible for the decline in teenagers with driver’s licenses?

A Decade of Data on Teen Attitudes

goodhandsgiveback — Wed, 30 May 2012 20:45:10 +0000

Teens surveyed in the most recent Allstate Foundation and Junior Achievement Teens and Personal Finance Poll showed a dramatic shift in the way they view money and in their overall outlook for their financial future. This year’s study revealed that only 56 percent of 14 to 18 year old teens think they will be as financially well-off or better than their parents. That represents a 37 percent drop from 2011 when 89 percent felt that way.

We were able to see this shift because we had years of data to analyze and compare. By conducting this annual study with the same format and series of questions year after year, the Poll has been able to illuminate nearly a decade’s worth of trends in teen attitude and behavior toward money and finance.

“The value of our Teens and Personal Finance Poll is due in large part to the library of data we’ve built over the years that enables us to pinpoint trends and concerns for today’s teens,” stated Vicky Dinges, Allstate Vice President of Social Responsibility. “While it’s difficult to accept a 37-percent decline in the number of teens who feel they will able to see the same financial success as their parents; it is heartening to know Junior Achievement is stepping in to help teens build important financial literacy skills.”

Since 2005, Junior Achievement and The Allstate Foundation have partnered to help students take the valuable information learned about personal finance in the classroom and apply it in their lives after graduation. Our annual Poll is just one piece of the partnership. The Junior Achievement JA Economics for Success® program, created in partnership with The Allstate Foundation, has helped more than 1.2 million students set personal goals about money and make wise financial choices. The program also helps empower students to develop, plan and set goals to help protect them from unexpected financial pitfalls. Our partnership has lasted so long because we understand that in research and financial literacy programming, consistency pays.

The post A Decade of Data on Teen Attitudes appeared first on The Allstate Blog.

Study Finds 1 in 5 Teens Have Driven High

Kristin Varela, Cars.com — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:09:44 +0000

Just when I think I have this whole parenting thing figured out, the game changes. With my oldest daughter preparing for middle school, I feel like I have a pretty firm grip on the perils of upper elementary school (limiting makeup to lip gloss only and teaching her how to be responsible with her first cell phone). What I’m not prepared for yet is the reality that marijuana use is at an all-time high among eighth- through 12th-grade kids. Scarier yet, 19 percent of teens admit to having driven after smoking pot, according to a study conducted by SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions). As parents, we seem to have done a fairly thorough job instilling the importance of not driving after drinking alcohol, but we’ve apparently been slacking on relaying the dangers of driving after smoking marijuana (the same study found that, of those who admitted to driving under the influence of pot, 36 percent said it presented no distraction). So, what steps can we take as parents to help ensure our teens’ safety in cars as they experiment and sometimes stumble their way through adolescence?

Draft a driving contract

When your teen starts driving, put a safe driving contract into place. You can draft one from scratch yourself, or download a Parent-Teen Driving Contract template. Your teen can also go a step further and make a public promise. Along with the basics, like when and where your teen is allowed to drive, it should spell out the fact that your teen will never drive while under the influence of anything (or get into a car with someone else in that same state), or even when they're too tired to think coherently.

Put a plan in place

Be sure to let your teen driver know that they can call you at any hour of the day or night for a safe ride home without consequences, and back your word by putting it on paper in the safe driving contract. If they're not comfortable coming to you for this, you can list an alternate contact—a “cool” aunt, for example—who knows to deliver your teen home safely and discreetly.

Give your teen an easy out

To make it easy for your teen to refuse a ride from a pressuring peer who may be under the influence, implement a way out. For some, it could be something as simple as texting a code word to a parent, who then knows to put the parental kibosh on the night. For example, the code word could be "funnn," spelled with 3 Ns: "hving gr8 funnn at Sophie's." Mom then knows to book it over to Sophie's house (or around the corner from Sophie's house) for a pickup. What other plans have you and your family implemented to help keep your teens and their friends from succumbing to the temptation of driving under the influence? Share your ideas with other parents in the comments section below.

Kristin Varela is the senior family editor at Cars.com, a leading destination for online car shoppers.

3 Tips for Building Your Child’s College Fund

Brendan — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:09:58 +0000

Even though my girls are just learning to spell their names, I know it won’t be long before they’re signing them on a stack of college applications. And the more I hear about the rising cost of tuition, the more important it seems for my husband and I to consider how we’ll finance the twins’ education now — instead of when they’re teenagers. After seeking advice from friends and a few financial experts, we decided that before we start our kids’ college funds, we’d like to have these three things in place:

A solid emergency fund

One of the experts I talked to suggested saving enough to cover six months’ worth of expenses, which seemed like a lot at first. But after she explained how quickly that money would disappear with two kids in the house, it didn’t seem like an option for us to set aside any less. While we have some money saved up in case of emergencies, we’re working hard to meet that six-month mark. One of my friends suggested treating our emergency fund like a monthly bill, which has worked out great. Seeing our contributions as a fixed expense has made us less likely to put off saving until the next month. One of my friends suggested treating our emergency fund like a monthly bill, which has worked out great. Seeing our contributions as a fixed expense has made us less likely to put off saving until the next month.

A manageable level of debt

We’ve all heard tales about the dangers of too much credit card debt, and while I think we’re pretty good about keeping our spending in check, those finance charges can add up fast. That’s why we’re making a better effort to track our household spending by monitoring online account statements and marking our expenses on a spreadsheet each week. We’ve even set up budgets for groceries, dining out and family fun nights through Mint.com. Having a clear budget to stick to has inspired us to look for creative, low-cost ways to entertain ourselves and our girls. Luckily, our little ones are at an age where the public library is still an acceptable place to spend a Saturday!

Consistent retirement contributions

While college tuition is costly, there are a number of resources for students beyond their parents’ bank accounts. Though we may have to do some searching, I know there will be grants, scholarships and other funds available to supplement our savings when the time comes. But where retirement is concerned, our spending money ends with what we’ve saved. So rather than diverting our retirement savings to our daughters’ college funds, we’re sticking with the contributions we currently have set and are looking for other ways to find some extra money. Once we have these few goals under control, we’ll be able to plan exactly how we want to build a strong financial foundation for our daughters’ college education. We’re almost there, but for now we’ll just have to focus on reading, writing and arithmetic.

Teen Driver: How the World Sees Me

Brendan — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:09:36 +0000

Being a teen driver can have its ups and downs. Battling with your parents for use of the family car, playing chauffeur for younger brothers and sisters, and trying to earn the respect of your friends while being responsible. Perception can sometimes be reality for teen drivers, and here's how the world sees them:

8 Things You Learn in Parenthood

Pamela — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:16:59 +0000

People without children of their own often remark to me that "kids are a learning experience," usually after one of my kids does something adorably ridiculous like emptying a jar of pasta sauce onto the living room carpet. In response, I smile and nod, biting my tongue about how drastic the understatement is. Here are just a few of the life lessons I've been taught so far. The Amazing Shrinking Domicile. If you were lucky enough to purchase a dream house, dream car or even just a dream diaper bag before your baby arrived, you probably wondered how you'd fill all the space (I know I did). Boy, did that "extra room" evaporate under the volume of clothes, toys and unidentifiable paraphernalia that started arriving during the baby shower and just never stopped. Lesson learned #1: You can never have enough space or be too prepared with a baby on board. By the Seat of Your Pants. Regardless of whether you read every last parenting book or you decided to more or less wing it, chances are you had some idea that you'd know what you were doing when the time came; an idea that promptly flew out the window for me when my beautiful little monsters took up residence. But everything turned out okay because I realized that I actually was capable of dealing with marbles in the garbage disposal or toys down the toilet. Plus, having a homeowners insurance policy helps give me peace of mind. Lesson learned #2: Admitting that you might not know what you’re doing but that you’re doing your best isn’t too bad after all. Drive Me Crazy. The job of driving has never been harder: I can't be the only person who's endured an in-car screaming session caused by a dropped "lucky penny" or the distribution of the wrong flavor of juice. Still, you'll find yourself battling through it somehow and end up as a safer driver than your pre-child self could ever imagine. Not to mention the fact that you’ll become much more aware of other drivers. I can see a teenager texting and driving from three miles away. And never again will I talk on the phone while driving – I can’t believe I ever did! Lesson learned #3: Keeping harmony in the car deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. The Sands of Time. When you're up at midnight trying to get your aspiring opera singer to fall asleep, the minutes might drag; but you'll find the rest of your time with your child fast-forwarding at warp speed. Before you know it, you'll be shelling out big bucks for college. All you can do is take plenty of pictures and videos - the more embarrassing, the better - and hang on for the ride. Lesson learned #4: The days are long but the years go fast so cherish every moment like it’s your last. Unconditional Love. If a friend suffered the occasional five alarm diaper explosion, spewed the contents of your best culinary creations onto the table, and halted the functioning of your household because of a refusal to put on shoes, the friendship would probably die pretty quickly. It would be a lot to deal with even from a much-loved spouse. But when it comes to my kids, I've happily dealt with all this and more, just because. Lesson learned #5: Motherhood is one of the greatest gifts. Sure it’s crazy and messy at times, but in the end well worth it. Bye-Bye Bubble Bath. If you enjoy taking the occasional peaceful moment by yourself, you might want to stock up before your baby arrives. Because afterwards, you'll never get a moment to yourself again. Never. So don’t count on being able to take a leisurely soak in the tub. And you can pretty much forget about candles too. Lesson learned #6: Embrace and take advantage of being together 24/7 with your family. Your kids will be out of the house more quickly than you'd like. My Precious. Before we had kids, there were certain possessions that I really preferred to stay in a whole, undamaged form. That's not a realistic expectation now that I've got the equivalent of hurricanes on legs living in my household. Your furniture, your pets, your jewelry, and especially your electronics; none of it will ever be safe from little fingers bent on destruction. This gave me added incentive to stop buying nice things now and put the money toward a college fund. Saving money is so important when you have little ones, especially a set of twins that will be entering college at the same time. All it takes is a few dollars to start. Think of it like any other planned expense and before you know it the kids will be grown – and so will your college savings plan. Lesson learned #7: Helping your child secure their future is one of the best gifts you can give. To Sleep, Perchance to Dream. Yeah, perchance to get more than half of the recommended daily total of forty winks. If this is your first experience with child-rearing, you might think that the worst is over once your little one figures out how to sleep through the night. Not so. According to a National Sleep Foundation survey, you can pretty much count on never sleeping well again. Lesson learned #8: Keep lots of coffee on hand!

Distracted Driving Summit Teaches Teens to Drive Safely

Sandy Spavone — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:03:59 +0000

It’s with tired feet, but a happy heart, that I am writing this post about the National Organizations for Youth Safety’s (NOYS) 2011 Distracted Driving Summit that concluded last week.

For those of you not familiar with the event, the Distracted Driving Summit brings together teens from across the country to learn about the most current distracted driving research. The group then studies how to use a wide range of communication tools to persuade drivers to hang up their phones when they get behind the wheel. Why host a meeting focused on this one issue? According to Seventeen magazine nearly 9 in 10 teenage drivers have engaged in distracted driving behaviors such as texting or talking on a cellphone—despite knowing that their actions increase their risk of crashing. The online survey of 1,999 teens ages 16 to 19, conducted in May 2010, found that 84% were aware that distracted driving behaviors increase their crash risk; yet 86% have engaged in those behaviors, including texting and talking on cell phones, eating, adjusting radios, driving with four or more passengers and applying makeup. The survey confirms what we already know. Teens—and adults—engage in distracted driving. What we need to do now is help to educate youth about the dangers of distracted driving. And that’s what our Distracted Driving Summit is all about. Our summit participants became safety ambassadors, applying what they learned by creating programs to bring back to their schools and communities to help reduce distracted driving among their peers. During the Summit, I had the opportunity to work with summit participants from Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Their passion and dedication to preventing distracted driving is remarkable, and with their help, we can decrease risky driving behaviors. The youth leaders shared with me just a few of the tips they will be taking home to their friends—and I hope that you will take a minute to read these and share them with your teens and adult drivers:

Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.
Allow voice mail to handle your calls while driving and return them at your convenience.
Pull off the road to a safe area or ask a passenger to make or take a call for you if urgently needed.
Use a hands-free device if available.
Suspend conversation during hazardous driving conditions.
Do not engage in stressful or emotional conversations while driving.
Never take notes or look up numbers while driving.

Consumer Reports shared that 16% of all teen drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2009 were distracted while driving. Help prevent the loss of more lives by supporting distracted driving prevention programs in your community and set a good example when driving by keeping safe driving your main focus.

Guest blogger Sandy Spavone is the Executive Director of NOYS and works to promote youth empowerment and leadership. She builds partnerships that help to save lives, prevent injuries, and promote safe and healthy lifestyles among all youth.

Halloween Safety Tips for Kids and Teens

Brendan — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:56:17 +0000

Remember Halloween in the old days? When the only word of caution from your folks was not to eat any unwrapped candy from strangers? If you're a parent now with kids of your own, things are a bit different. Not only has the danger of getting a mouthful of tainted candy not gone away, there are a whole mess of other concerns to be worried about. One of the biggest threats to kids are the dangers that cars pose to trick-or-treaters on Halloween. According to Safe Kids USA, twice as many children are killed by cars on Halloween night than on any other night of the year. There are three factors contributing:

Drivers under the influence
Kids darting out into the street when cars are approaching
Costumes that are too dark to be seen by drivers, drunk, sober, or otherwise

Top 6 safety tips for kids on Halloween

So what’s the answer? Even if your kids are old enough to trick-or-treat on their own, they still need help from parents to ensure that when they leave the house, they have everything they need to stay safe. Consider these tips:

Be sure your child takes a working flashlight along or a healthy supply of glow sticks to ensure they’re plainly visible from near or afar.
Don’t let your kids leave home without a working, fully charged cell phone so they can dial 911 or call for help in the event of an emergency.
Remind your kids to walk only on sidewalks and to take extra caution when crossing streets.
Insist that any costume your child wears while trick-or-treating doesn’t impede their vision. If they can’t see where they’re going, they’re that much more likely to wander into traffic.
Don’t send your kids out trick-or-treating by themselves. If they don’t have a group of pals to go with, go with them. If they resist because they don’t want to be seen with mom or dad, wear a costume. It’s Halloween; you can get away with it.
Impose a curfew for your older kids and have them stick to a certain pre-planned route so you’ll know their approximate whereabouts at all times.

Halloween safety: A shared responsibility

Obviously, ensuring safety on Halloween isn’t entirely up to the kids doing the trick-or-treating. If you’re going to be out on the road on Halloween night, keep your eyes peeled and be hyper-vigilant for kids who might not have been familiarized with the tips above. Slow it down, especially when driving through suburban neighborhoods, and never assume that a child in a costume can see you. Remember, not everyone is as cautious with their kids on Halloween as you might be.