Good Neighbor Stories

State Farm Recognizes Four Lawmakers Advancing Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Safety

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Four State legislators were recognized by State Farm® for their dedication to saving lives and preventing injuries by championing legislation focused on limiting distractions on roadways. The Good Neighbor Auto Safety Champion Award supports the ongoing State Farm initiative to make our roads safer through advocacy efforts focused on data, research, and technology.

The 2025 awardees:

Iowa State Representative Ann Meyer
Missouri State Senator Jason Bean
New Jersey State Senator Patrick Diegnan
Pennsylvania State Senator Rosemary Brown

Awardees were selected for their support and leadership to pass auto safety laws and policies in their respective states.

In addition to the award, State Farm is driving change at the state and federal level, advocating for auto and highway safety legislation to address distracted driving and other auto safety issues nationwide.

“State Farm created the Good Neighbor Auto Safety Champion Award to recognize lawmakers who are making a real difference in preventing distracted driving and saving lives,” said Erin Engle, Vice President – Counsel, State Farm. “The hands-free law passed in Iowa is one of several examples of how state action can lead to safer roads. Distracted driving is a significant, widespread, and preventable issue. State Farm will continue to advocate for legislation that enforces safer driving behaviors nationwide.”.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 29% of all motor vehicle crashes are caused by distracted drivers – resulting in more than 10,000 fatalities, 1.3 million injuries, and 5.6 million damaged vehicles each year. It is estimated that the annual economic cost of distraction-related crashes is nearly $100 billion (Blincoe 2023). While there is more work that needs to be done, thirty-three states prohibit all drivers from using handheld cellphones while driving and 36 states and D.C. ban all cell phone use by novice drivers.

A new study completed by State Farm found that distracted driving is the #1 roadway safety concern among U.S. licensed drivers ages 18-75. More than half of the 1,901 drivers surveyed reported distracted driving as a top concern, followed by aggressive driving (45%), alcohol-impaired driving (41%), speeding (38%), and running red lights/stop signs (28%).

This award does not represent an endorsement of any political candidate, party, or campaign.

Drivers can learn more about the laws in their area at: iihs.org/research-areas/distracted-driving/electronic-device-laws.

To learn more about the company’s efforts to combat distracted driving and promote auto safety, visit statefarm.com/about-us/corporate-responsibility/safer-communities/distracted_driving. For more on State Farm auto safety advocacy, visit newsroom.statefarm.com/making-our-roads-safer-one-law-at-a-time/.

Neighbors work together to take back their local park

Tue, 09 May 2017 08:48:00 -0500

A community park can be many things. A green, peaceful escape from a concrete jungle. A place for children to play outdoors. A gathering place to enjoy time with family and friends.

“At their best, parks are places for communities to come together,” said Amanda Timm, Houston Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Executive Director. “Unfortunately, many neighborhood parks do not live up to this ideal and are not safe places.”

One such place is Clark Park, a 12.74-acre park in a neighborhood north of downtown Houston. “Clark Park has seen robberies, illegal drug sales, and other criminal activity. It’s also the only park serving the neighborhood’s 17,800 residents,” Amanda explained.

Coming together to take action

In 2015, Clark Park residents decided to take back their park, but they weren’t sure where to start. They found a program that had transformed other neighborhood parks: “Great Opportunities (GO) Neighborhoods,” a Houston LISC program funded in part by State Farm. The program produces diverse, vibrant, and safe communities by engaging members of neighborhood.

In May 2016, community leaders hosted a safety audit and visioning session for Clark Park. More than 50 residents, city and University of Houston staff attended the daylong event. Together they observed and recorded any hazard to safety (blocked visibility, lighting problems, maintenance issues, etc.).

Alejandro Perez, a 23 year resident with a goal of becoming a homeowner, got involved in the safety audit. “I wanted to be a part of shaping the neighborhood I will live in with my kids, when I finally buy a house here.”

That day during the visioning session, residents discussed their thoughts and dreams about the future of Clark Park.

“This was fun because other people come up with ideas you don’t think about,” Alejandro remembered. “One neighbor thought of a pavilion. It surprised me how many different age groups were using the walking trails. It’s a small park, but neighbors connect to it in many ways.”

Residents said they would like an updated jogging trail, more family-friendly areas, and more police patrols.

The Clark Park day was one of the largest attended events of its kind in Houston. It was clear, the community was ready to create positive change in their neighborhood.

Two months later, local residents reviewed a rendering of potential Clark Park improvements. They shared feedback with the city entities and nonprofits. Avenue Community Development Corporation (Avenue CDC) leads the on-going improvement work in Clark Park.

“Clark Park has so much potential,” Avenue CDC’s Community Coordinator Maria Aguirre-Borrero said. “With the help of elected officials and community member engagement, the park will be a shining light in the community.”

In March 2017, leaders added Clark Park to the city’s Capital Improvement Project plans. Now the park will receive improvement funds.

“Clark Park is a fine example of how positive actions can result in neighborhood improvements,” Amanda said. “With determination and hard work, the neighborhood will soon have a park to be proud of.”

What can you do to improve your neighborhood? Visit Neighborhood of Good to find volunteer opportunities in your neck of the woods.

Other stories you might find interesting:

Finding a Home in Asian Pacific America

Tue, 10 May 2016 00:00:00 -0500

The first time Hari Adhikari rode on a plane was not only across the globe, but it was a one-way ticket.

Hari’s family was forced to relocate from Southern Bhutan as refugees during the 1990s due to harsh discrimination. Hari’s family spent seventeen years living in refugee camps where resources were always in short supply.

“Being in the camps was tumultuous to say the least,” Hari recalled. “The local Nepalese treated the refugees pretty badly and you did not get equal treatment. These stories can be pretty painful to tell sometimes.”

By the time Hari boarded his flight to the United States for resettlement in Tucson, Arizona, he had spent a majority of his life in refugee camps.

As a 17-year-old immigrant, he faced significant challenges when he arrived in the United States. Though he attended an American school, no one was on hand to explain to him where Asian Americans fit in the United States. And the part-time job he took to help provide for his family left little time for self-exploration.

OCA changed his course

It wasn’t until Hari’s family discovered OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates (OCA) and he began engaging with their programs that he was able to grasp a part of this picture.

OCA is a national network of advocates dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans. This is done through leadership training as well as the work of local chapters and grassroots advocacy at a national level.

Hari’s father first attended board meetings to help volunteer for the census. But after Hari attended a meeting he realized this was a community he wanted to be a part of and give back to. So he deepened his involvement by becoming the Tucson Chapter’s Secretary.

Hari is a part of a new generation of Asian Americans that doesn’t fit into the East Asian categories like Japanese or Chinese. Both of which tend to dominate the common perception of Asian Americans.

For many individuals like Hari, OCA serves as a place where they can connect to the larger Asian American and Pacific Islander community. A community that can be divided in their everyday experiences by generation, nationality, or immigration status.

“Getting involved in OCA was a big stepping stone for me. I learned what it means to be an immigrant in the United States and the kind of things I need to be aware of as an Asian American,” Hari recounted.

Paying it forward

Hari’s first experience with an OCA program was planning one of the organization’s signature youth programs, Asian Pacific American - Youth Advocate (APA-Y). Tucson is home to a large refugee community. Hari helped bring basic education of Asian American history and advocacy to students struggling with culture shock.

“APA-Y teaches young leaders about advocacy and what we can do in our community to help each other out. Immigration, education, and mental health are all things that the Asian American community needs to be actively engaged in,” shared Hari.

Hari’s journey with OCA did not end there. He was selected to attend the annual Japanese American Citizens League/OCA Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. This program focuses on training leaders to affect change in their community through advocacy with government officials.

“I never before got to see the lobbying process here in America and I got to see how Congress works first-hand,” said Hari. “I learned things are not as easy as you think; that our voices need to be heard.”

“OCA has helped put me in a position where I must speak up,” explains Hari. “Going through all these State Farm programs was an eye-opener, and I did not know a lot of the things I know today.”

The journey isn’t over

Hari’s journey, like the journey of the thousands of individuals who have benefitted from OCA programs over the years is not over. OCA has inspired him to continue doing work that will go on to benefit his community and individuals like him.

Each year, State Farm makes the training of more than 750 Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders possible through their sponsorship of OCA programs. These important programs open the door for full participation in America’s social, political, and legal circles that Asian Americans like Hari are so often left out of.

As Hari will tell you, “These programs have made me a more aware citizen and a more aware member of the Asian American community.”