Indiana to Hold Child Safety Seat Fair in Indianapolis; Actor Erik Estrada to Help Deliver Safety Message at Statewide Events

INDIANAPOLIS--April 20, 2006--As part of a statewide partnership designed to reduce the leading cause of fatalities among children, the State of Indiana; the Governor's Council on Impaired & Dangerous Driving, a division of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute; and 21st Century Insurance will sponsor a child safety seat inspection at Lafayette Square Mall in Indianapolis from 10 a.m. to 12 noon this Saturday, April 22.

The consumer safety program promotes compliance with Indiana law for child safety seats, which states that children who are under 8 years of age must be restrained in a child safety seat or booster seat, and that all children up to age 16 must be properly restrained in a child restraint system or a seatbelt in all seating positions in all vehicles.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children from two to 14 years of age. New data show that 80 percent of child safety seats are improperly installed and are a potential source of injury for children, up from 73 percent in 2004.

To help reduce preventable injuries and deaths, the State of Indiana; the Governor's Council on Impaired & Dangerous Driving, a division of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute; and 21st Century Insurance will sponsor a child safety seat fair at Lafayette Square Mall, 3919 Lafayette Road, Ind., from 10 a.m. to 12 noon this Saturday, April 22.

Automotive Safety will provide safety technicians to inspect and, if necessary, replace and install a new child safety seat donated by 21st. Safety technicians will teach parents and caregivers how to use and install the seats. Children must accompany vehicles for proper child safety seat fitting and will be helped on a first come, first served basis.

"Last year in Indiana, half of all children under eight years old who were killed in crashes were either unrestrained or buckled up incorrectly," said Heather Bolejack, Executive Director, Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. "It is shocking to know that recent national statistics show more than 80 percent of children in vehicles are not properly secured. Taking steps to install a child safety seat correctly can save many young, precious lives. We encourage Indiana parents to attend and learn more about proper restraint methods."

Actor Erik Estrada, best known for his role on the hit TV show "CHiPs," will join fair participants to spread the word on proper child seat safety. "Wearing your seatbelt and making sure your children are properly buckled up is the best insurance against being killed or seriously injured in many vehicle crashes," Estrada said. "I urge all parents to have their child's safety seat inspected. Just a few minutes could save a life."

Federal statistics show a critical need for education regarding booster seat use:

-- According to recent data from NHTSA, at least 80 percent of children who should ride in booster seats currently do not.

-- NHTSA recommends that children who weigh more than 40 pounds or who have outgrown their 5-point harness system should be placed in a booster seat.

-- Using a booster seat allows the seat belt to be positioned across the child where it is most effective and lowers the risk of injury to children in crashes by 59 percent.

The Indiana program is modeled after the company's successful efforts in California. Since 21st premiered its child safety seat initiative in California five years ago, more than 7,500 child safety seats have been inspected; 21st has donated more than 6,000 new child safety seats; and more than 2,800 broken, recalled or non-age-appropriate child safety seats have been discarded.

This Saturday's Indianapolis safety fair is the first event for 2006. Events will follow in Evansville on May 7, 2006 and Fort Wayne on June 25. For location information, visit www.21st.com.

To help inform the public, the State of Indiana; the Governor's Council on Impaired & Dangerous Driving, a division of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute; and 21st will continue to sponsor child safety seat inspection and installation fairs across the state and have created "Child Safety Seats: A Parent's Guide" to explain proper seat installation and use. The guide, available in English or Spanish, can be obtained at safety fairs or by contacting the company's corporate headquarters at 1-800-211-SAVE or visiting its Web site, www.21st.com/safety.

About 21st: Good people to call

Founded in 1958, 21st Century Insurance Group is a direct-to-consumer provider of personal auto insurance. With $1.4 billion of revenue in 2005, the company insures over 1.5 million vehicles in California, Texas, Illinois and Indiana and five other states. 21st provides superior policy features and 24/7 customer service at a competitive price. Customers can purchase insurance, service their policy or report a claim at www.21st.com or on the phone with our licensed insurance professionals at 1-800-211-SAVE, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Service is offered in English and Spanish both on the phone and on the Web. 21st Century Insurance Company, 21st Century Casualty Company and 21st Century Insurance Company of the Southwest are rated A+ by Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor's.

21st Century Insurance Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol TW and is headquartered at 21st Century Plaza, 6301 Owensmouth Avenue, Woodland Hills, CA 91367.