October and autumn have finally arrived for most parts of the country!

Research conducted by State Farm shows that October is the month with the most teen crash claims. Why is this? What’s the cause? Perhaps it’s because with the season comes with shorter days, hazardous weather conditions, and more after school activities. Personally, I find this time of year to be my busiest, and as a newly licensed driver. I find myself on the road more frequently to keep up with my busy schedule. This seems to be true for many of my friends and classmates too, and with more time on the road comes higher risks. Teens are especially vulnerable to distractions, impairment, and drowsiness, which makes any trip more dangerous.

Teens also lack experience behind the wheel. This makes even driving in perfect conditions a challenge. Even though there’s no true substitute for experience, my parents and I still work together on different skills that can help me be prepared for the unknowns of any trip. This preparation can include enrolling in drivers ed courses, reviewing state GDL laws, and establishing restrictions such as curfews and driving boundaries.

SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) works closely with State Farm to keep young people safe on the roads. In the third week of October, SADD and State Farm participate in National Teen Driver Safety Week. It is a time set aside to shine a spotlight on the #1 killer of teens - car crashes. In most recent studies, 3,255 teens ages 16-19 were involved in fatal car crashes. The most upsetting part about this statistic is that most all of these crashes are preventable. SADD students all across the country will be working with local State Farm agents to spread the word, educate teens and parents, and make sure everyone stays safe this October.

While this season is a fun time for many, we must work together to acknowledge the dangers of the road, specifically for teens. Teens - talk with your parents about good driving habits. Parents - monitor your teens to make sure they are safe behind the wheel. Simple decisions like wearing your seatbelt, putting down the cell phone, and limiting passengers can be the difference in making roads safer. Be safe out there and enjoy the colors of fall.

When it came to my baby girl riding the bus to preschool, I imagined so many scenarios – terrible crashes, outlandish kidnappings (I read too many spy novels). But I never imagined the one scenario that has happened TWICE since she started school.

The roads and sidewalks in my subdivision were snow-covered and slippery. It was just after 7 am, the sun was out. My daughter, Morelia, and I slowly made our way to the bus. We were at the end of our driveway – looking both ways, as we have to cross one lane of traffic– when we heard the bus driver blast the horn.

A young driver, clearly reading her phone with her head down, nearly drove straight through the bus’s arm and stop sign.

We all make mistakes. It is so easy to get distracted. But if I wasn’t paying attention, or the bus driver noticed too late, I might not be writing this story. My silly, sweet little girl might not be here at all.

As the young driver looked up at the scene, she saw Morelia and me – and the bus with lights flashing - just feet from her car. She looked mortified. I hope that feeling, that close miss, sticks with her. Her life – not to mention ours - would have changed forever. I hope she will drive safer and be more aware. I hope she will put down the phone.

Not five school days later, similar road conditions and scenario, another driver in my subdivision DOES stop but has an adult tantrum. He’s so angry. The bus driver literally gets out of the bus and stands in front of the car so he cannot drive through the stop sign.

The whole process of the bus stopping, Morelia getting on and settled, and the bus taking off takes three minutes at most even on the iciest of days. I could not believe this person got so angry and animated. Did he really think getting to wherever he was going was so much more important than a child’s safety?

I wondered if my two experiences were common so I did a little digging. In October 2018, an Indiana family’s worst nightmare came true. They lost three children, their six-year-old twin boys and their nine-year-old daughter, in a horrific bus crash.

I cannot even begin to imagine the pain felt since that terrible fall day. That of the parents and family, their town, the bus driver, the school, the list goes on.

The incident drew national media attention. It spawned local legislative and safety discussions, but it seems tragedies like this do not change behavior. Just a few days later, another child was tragically killed. What will it take for the young distracted driver who nearly blew through a bus stop sign and the man who felt his time took precedence over my daughter’s safety to learn the error in their ways?

Every day approximately 84,000 people/cars illegally pass school buses.  That's 15 MILLION violations a year, according to  2018 national survey.

What can we do about it? I’m very fortunate my employer, State Farm, cares about safety. They allowed me to “take over” this site for a day to share my story, and more importantly, share tips that could help prevent future tragedies. Maybe we can’t change everyone’s behavior. But the more we share this story and tips, the more aware people will be. Please join me in sharing this important information.

Bus Safety Tips

For Parents of Riders

• Wait with the little ones at the bus stop. Ensure you and your child are visible at the stop as well.
• Teach your kids to stand - at a minimum - three giant steps from the curb and board one at a time.
• Teach your kids to wait until the school bus completely stops before getting off, and always walk in front of the bus, not behind.
• If your child needs to cross the street after exiting the bus, teach them to take these three actions:
  • make sure the bus driver sees them,
  • take five giant steps in front of the bus,
  • then cross, only when the driver gives them the go-ahead it is safe,
  • And of course, teach them to look both ways before crossing the street.
• Teach your child the importance of behaving on the bus – any distraction can cause the bus driver to lose focus and could result in a crash.

For Drivers

• Be aware of your environment. Know your neighborhood. Be cognizant of kids. Take alternative routes that do not go by schools, etc. if you are in a rush. (Seriously folks, it’s not like you’ve never seen a school bus or it’s all that shocking that a bus is picking up kids at 7:30 in the morning on a Monday!?!)
• Follow the speed limit (and the LAW) especially in school zones and at bus stops.
• Never drive distracted. Please put down your phone. Learn more about the cell phone laws in your state.
• Slow down and prepare to stop if a school bus is flashing its lights. This means the bus is preparing to stop (yellow) or already stopped (red), and children are getting on or off.
• Slow your roll. Three minutes is not worth the potential life-changing consequences for a child, or you.

The shareable, interactive image below shows more tips when you hover over the "+" signs.

“Christmas. Christmas is my favorite holiday,” said Conely. “It’s filled with hope.”

Conely, a social service daycare provider, knows what Christmas and the winter holiday season, means through the eyes of a child. By day she looks after children ranging in age from babies to Pre-K. By night, she raises three kids of her own.

“It keeps me busy,” smiled Conely rocking a baby in her arms, coaxing it to sleep. “I’ve worked in daycare since 2008. I love children. Their imagination, their innocence, their humor…and just like Christmas trees, they really light up this time of year.”

But Conely knows, the holidays aren’t always a happy time for children and families.

Tight budgets, hectic work schedules and bills to pay can make the season of giving anything but jolly.

“I found myself in a tough spot last year,” she explained. “I couldn’t afford to buy my children anything extra. I was working so hard, but could not get ahead financially to buy gifts.”

But hope found Conely during the holidays. It came in the form of an evergreen, from the hands of strangers she’d never met.

“It’s called the Giving Tree,” Conely smiled. “It brought light into my family’s life.”

The Giving Tree is a State Farm holiday tradition. The program sprouted in the fall of 1992 – as a means to fulfill the gift wishes of families in need. Since its inception, the spirit of giving has blossomed and grown.

Each November, evergreen trees adorned with paper ornaments pop up at State Farm facilities. The ornaments contain wish lists from children, families or senior citizens who might otherwise receive no gifts during the holidays. State Farm employees pluck an ornament or two from the trees and go shopping.

Some ornaments contain practical requests like soap, shampoo and socks. Others ask for warmth and comfort – in the form of mittens, hats, blankets and stuffed animals. Either way, employees make sure the items they purchase are suited for the special families they’ve never met.

“Last year, my youngest son, JaKaleib received a teddy bear,” said Conely.    “But it wasn’t an ordinary bear. This one sang the ABC’s. JaKaleib loved it. He also received a play table and chair.”

In 2016, State Farm employees granted nearly 1,700 gift wishes for Bloomington, Illinois families. Many also volunteered to pack and prepare the presents for delivery.

“It’s like having the magic of Santa and the North Pole here in town,” said Conely. “This kindness has meant so much to me and my children. After experiencing the good will of others, now my 13 and 10-year-old are inspired to give back. I tell them, ‘You have the power to make a difference. We all do.’”

This year marks the 25^th anniversary of the Giving Tree. A program that started from an evergreen tree, paper ornaments and a choice: to listen and help. But Conely says it’s not about the packages one receives, nor who the gift giver is that matters…

“The beauty is knowing there are people out there who love and care about others – no matter who they are, or where they come from. That kind of gift lasts long after the holidays are over.”

To help your community this holiday season, check out NeighborhoodofGood.com^®. 

Teens feel a mix of emotion when they first sit behind the wheel. Throughout the learning process, parents check in with teens, asking:

• How do you feel behind the wheel?

• How did you feel driving on the highway?

• Are you ready to try parallel parking?

What we often forget is to ask moms and dads how they are feeling about this parenting milestone.

“My middle daughter was a lead foot and wanted to jump in with both feet – on the accelerator. She literally scared me half-to-death!” said Maryland resident Andrea Sanford. Andrea’s youngest daughter, however, was the exact opposite. “She was extremely fearful, had very little confidence, and would even pull over and simply stop driving when overwhelmed.”

Teens look up to their parents when learning to drive. A 2012 State Farm^® Harris Survey found 69 percent of teens trust their parents the most when it comes to driving information. In contrast, less than half of parents were well prepared to teach driving. In the majority of cases, both parents and teens reported that at best, parents were only somewhat prepared to teach their teens to drive.

As the main driving resource for teens, parents need to be equipped with the right tools to do the job. Beyond just following the rules of the road and practicing safe driving behaviors, parents must also feel comfortable in the role of teacher.

“In retrospect, I wish there was someone who could have trained me to better prepare them (their teenage kids) for the responsibilities and dangers of driving,” said Andrea.

Eliminating Driver Error by Teaching the Teacher

To help parents during this important time in their teen’s lives, one Maryland non-profit is launching a course for parents. “We’ve taught teens how to drive for 12 years,” said Drive2Survive Founder, Eric Espinosa. “But there isn’t a similar course to help parents through this milestone.”

Drive2Survive aims to reduce automobile crashes and fatalities by reducing driver error through training, education, research and advocacy.

Through a grant, State Farm helps teens with the cost to participate in the Drive2Survive program. The relationship grew as Drive2Survive participated in Celebrate My Drive, a teen driver safety initiative sponsored by State Farm.

“This program looks to address lack of skill and experience, a major component in many teen crashes,” said State Farm Public Affairs Specialist Anna Bryant. “Programs such as this give teens additional information to help them become better and safer drivers.”

“Most accidents are not accidents,” says Eric. “They are crashes caused by driver error and distractions/or neglect in training.”

To reduce errors and distractions, young drivers must learn how to react in emergencies where “normal” driving skills aren’t enough.

Explaining the need for the program, Eric recalls, “After having three teens attend the class after almost getting into a serious crash with their family members in the car, a light bulb went off.”

To address this issue, Drive2Survive created a class especially for parents. The class will walk parents through a variety of steps, including how to teach teens proper form, the impact of weight and balance and its effect on traction and control, and other safe driving behaviors.

The final exam will consist of driving on a road course with a new teen-driver that is not their own. The test will allow parents to test their new skills under the watchful eyes of a staff instructor.

“But we can’t teach everything during our one-day class. It requires parents continue to follow up on the skills teens learn to reinforce potentially lifesaving behaviors, “ says Eric.

Keeping the Conversation Going

The class is a great platform to start the dialogue between teens and parents about the driving journey. After teens receive their license, there is a sharp decline in parent and teen interactions about driving despite the fact the first year after receiving a license brings the highest lifetime crash risk. Teens who have just a learner’s permit are two times more likely than teens with licenses to report they talk very often with their parents about driving.(46% to 22%).

One way parents can continue the conversation is through the State Farm Road Trips® tool. This “one-stop shop” provides parents with safe driving teaching techniques in manageable pieces. The web-based tool helps parents build practice drives and log their teen’s progress.

Whether parents take a class or utilize an online tool, it’s important parents teach teens the skills necessary to help them handle many of the situations they might face while driving.

“It was my job as her parent to protect her by ensuring she would gain the skills and experience necessary to help her survive,” said Andrea. “The information and experience she received gave her confidence and assured me that I’ve prepared her as much as possible.”