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Federal statistics on highway fatalities show that from 1990 to 1996 there have been 3,763 people killed in auto accidents over the Thanksgiving holiday weekends, second only to the 3,853 killed in accidents over the Fourth of July period in those years.* For further insights into their personal exposure to Thanksgiving driving risks -- as well as the heightened holiday traffic risks upcoming at Christmas and New Year's -- drivers can use the Quicken InsureMarket Web site (http://www.insuremarket.com).

Quicken's Risk Evaluator_ allows drivers to select their model car and determine the likelihood that an accident involving that model will result in serious injury to occupants. Another example of the data in this popular feature indicates how heavily each model car tends to be damaged in an accident. Other Quicken InsureMarket data and information features can help drivers determine whether they have adequate insurance coverage to protect them from these risks. Plus, Quicken InsureMarket has the largest database of online auto insurance quotes available in real-time, so consumers can check if they can increase their protection while paying the same premium -- or less -- than with their current insurance.

Quicken InsureMarket real-time rate quotes are free and anonymous, and all the information is provided during the online session, rather than later by delayed e-mail or a call from an agent. Rate quotes are available in more than 20 states, where approximately 75 percent of the licensed drivers in the country reside.

According to the statistics from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration and the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) the number of fatal accidents during holiday periods is about 34 percent greater than the rest of the year, with an average of 152 deaths each day of the holiday period, compared with a daily average of 113 for the remainder of the year. The holidays tracked are New Year's, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

There is good news, though, as the overall number of highway fatalities has declined by about 10,000 per year compared with 20 and 30 years ago. This is despite an approximate doubling in the number of licensed drivers and registered vehicles during that time. Federal officials attribute the lower rate of fatalities to improved use of seat belts and a decline in the percentage of fatal accidents that are alcohol related.

Fatalities in motor vehicle accidents totaled more than 50,000 in each year from 1966 to 1970. For the five years ending in 1996, the most recent statistics available, fatalities ranged from 39,000 to 42,000 annually. From 1966 to 1996 the number of licensed drivers grew from 100 million to 180 million and the number of registered vehicles in the U.S. grew from 95 million to 200 million.

Quicken InsureMarket (http://www.insuremarket.com) is the leading insurance site on the Internet, providing real-time rate quotes for auto and term life policies from major national insurance providers, including Travelers, John Hancock, Prudential and others. The full-service site also features a library of educational material so consumers can learn more about insurance, as well as interactive insurance planning tools and information from independent insurance experts.

Intuit's insurance subsidiary or its designated employees are licensed as insurance agents for life and health in 50 states and Washington, D.C., and as agents for property and casualty in 49 states and Washington, D.C. IIS also associates with licensed resident agents in those states where insurance transactions must be conducted with or through resident agents.

Quicken InsureMarket is part of Quicken.com (http://www.quicken.com), which provides individuals with information and software tools to help them make better financial decisions. It then provides links to leading financial service providers so consumers can implement those decisions more conveniently than ever. Quicken.com content is also offered at some of the most widely accessed sites on the Internet, as the exclusive provider of personal financial tools on such sites as CNNfn (http://www.cnnfn.com/quickenonfn) and Excite (http://quicken.excite.com). Quicken InsureMarket is also a primary source of content and programming on the Insurance Center on America Online (keyword: Insurance).

Intuit Inc.(NASDAQ: INTU), a financial software and Web-based services company, develops and markets Quicken, the leading personal finance software; TurboTax, the best-selling tax preparation software; and QuickBooks, the most popular small business accounting software. Intuit's Quicken.com (www.quicken.com) offers a complete set of personal finance news, information, and tools, including the leading mutual fund and insurance sites. Intuit's products and services enable individuals, small businesses, and financial professionals to better manage their financial lives and businesses.

*Accident and other data from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Traffic Safety Facts 1996 and online links (http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/ncsa/Overvu97.html).