Allstate, SIIS and Others Launch Flood Safety Campaign

Just in time for the Memorial Day weekend, public and private sector partners, including the Allstate Foundation and Southwestern Insurance Information Service, are joining forces to expand flood safety awareness in Texas using billboards, bilingual handouts for state park visitors and television public service announcements across four major cities—Austin, San Antonio, Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and Houston. The Turn Around Don’t Drown Texas campaign kicks off May 24 with a press conference at the State Capitol in Austin.

SIIS noted that this public service campaign stresses a simple life-saving message: Whether you are driving or walking, if you come to a flooded road, Turn Around Don’t Drown. Texas leads the nation in the number of people fatally injured because they drove their vehicles through flooded areas. Violent Spring storms, torrential rainfall and deadly flash floods are all too common in Texas at this time of year.

Through a grant provided by the Allstate Foundation, national and state partners including FLASH®, The National Weather Service, SIIS and the Texas State Parks and Wildlife are expanding the Turn Around Don’t Drown campaign in Texas.

To complement the awareness campaign, Texas State Parks and Wildlife will begin distribution of flood safety public educational materials Memorial Day weekend and will continue throughout the summer, targeting more than 110,000 families who visit the park system. Allstate Agencies will distribute Flash Cards statewide. Both the Flash Cards and Animation CDs will be distributed through the Texas Education Agency’s In-School Driver Education and Traffic Safety Class participants beginning this fall.

To initiate the Turn Around Don’t Drown Texas campaign, the group is conducting a four-day event with news conferences in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston.

The May 24 news conference in Austin begins at 10:30 a.m. on the south steps of the Capitol building. Attending will be: Texas State Rep. Mark Strama; Texas Insurance Commissioner Jose Montemayor; Allstate Foundation’s Joseph P. McCormick, corporate relations; and FLASH President/CEO Leslie Chapman-Henderson.