How do you know if your teen is ready to drive?

When it's time to teach your teenager to drive, parents should begin by taking the time to see that their teen is knowledgeable about and comfortable with the vehicle and its controls. 

Before you hit the road, start by training your teen on the basics: demonstrate how to adjust the seat and the side and rearview mirrors safely to fit their needs. Make any other accommodations that are necessary, such as tilting the steering wheel.

Take a few minutes to review the vehicle controls and demonstrate how each of these works: dashboard controls, steering wheel and seat adjustment, mirror adjustment, turn signals, headlights, safety features like air bags and seat belts, wipers, emergency lights, parking brake/release, starting/turning off the engine, gas and brake pedals, warning indicator lights on dashboard, and don’t forget to show your teen where the registration, insurance card and car manual are located.

For teens, dialing a phone while driving increases crash risk by six times and texting while driving increases crash risk by 23 times.

Source: https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/teen-driving

According to the State Farm’s 2023 Distracted Driving Survey:

Respondents with less driving experience were more likely to report manually interacting with their cell phones while driving compared to drivers who had been licensed longer. And drivers who had been licensed from five years or less were significantly more likely to use smartphone apps, record videos, and watch videos while driving compared to drivers who had been licensed more than 10 years.

Here are a few TIPS of what you can do before letting your teenager get behind the wheel:
 

1. Talk to your teen about the rules and responsibilities involved in driving.
   
   
   1. Share stories about distracted driving
       
   2. Let them know their full attention is essential
       
2. Be a good role model by delivering consistent messages:
   
   
   1. Buckle up!
       
   2. Hands on the wheel and eyes on the road at all times.
       
   3. Before letting your teenager get behind the wheel, go over this driver skills checklist.
      
      
      1. Teen Driving-101

Experienced drivers know driving at night is more difficult than during the day.

More than half of the State Farm survey respondents did not have nighttime driving practice when they were learning to drive and nearly half did not feel they had sufficient driving practice overall before getting a license. One quarter of respondents admitted to driving a car before they were legally able to do so.

Other important tips:

1. Make sure your young driver gets some night-driving experience so you’re both more comfortable with evening outings.
    
2. Learn about your state’s graduated driver licensing laws. GDL

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.

It is not a step-by-step guide to driving. This presentation is designed to bring awareness to some of the risks teen drivers face and encourage discussion with a goal toward keeping teens safer behind the wheel.

Many teen driving crashes are preventable. This video with speaker’s guide addresses the leading causes of teen crashes, according to the Centers for Disease Control:

• Driver inexperience
• Driving with teen passengers
• Nighttime driving
• Not using seat belts
• Distracted driving
• Drowsy driving
• Reckless driving
• Impaired driving

Please first download the speaker’s guide and use it along with the video presentation. It provides talking points to go with each slide, and suggested conversation-starters.

Thank you for helping to keep teens safe on our roadways.

Click here (or on the title slide below) to launch the Teen Driver Safety Presentation.

Direct links to the videos embedded in the presentation:

From coast to coast, people are joining together to encourage people to put down their phones and other distractions and drive during April.

One of them is Corporal Justin Noel of the Cherokee County, Kan., Sheriff’s Department.

Six years ago, Justin had an idea. He wanted to build a driving simulator on wheels to teach teen driver safety.

As a school resource officer, Justin’s goal was to help protect teens during that first year behind the wheel by giving them an interactive way to experience texting while driving via a driving simulator.

“I wanted something that would allow me to pull up at a school and let the students participate immediately without having to set up anything,” he says.

His idea started small. He asked the county school board for a bus to use as a driving simulator. They approved his request and gave him a small school bus that was no longer in use.

“It sat in my driveway for months because I didn’t have enough money to turn it into a driving simulator vehicle,” he says. “I got a few hundred dollar donations here and there but not enough to build it.”

A chance encounter with a State Farm^® representative at a Kansas Department of Transportation safety conference led to $32,500 in grants from the insurance company to The SEAT (Safer Education About Traveling) since 2012. This includes a $20,000 grant awarded in 2017 to replace the primary vehicle used for the SEAT programs.

Thanks to these grants, the SEAT bus and its texting and driving simulators travel the tri-state district of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

“Most schools send students out in groups to use the three simulators,” he says. “You can tell who plays video games and who does not but most of them get comfortable fairly quickly.”

Times have changed during his 18 years as a deputy. Driving distracted has grown with all the options available in vehicles. Phones, GPS screens, music, movies and other distractions take drivers’ eyes off the road.

“I tell these kids that, before cell phones, no one ever drove with their eyes in their lap,” he says.

For the texting simulator, Justin has one student “drive” while several others watch. Once the simulator begins, he sends a text message to the driver’s phone.

“They start texting and most of them will crash,” he says. “At first, they think they’ve got it down pretty good. But when they pick up that phone, they end up hitting a tree or veering off a cliff.”

SEAT works with 8th graders through high school and even college students. Justin says the 8^th graders do not know how to drive, the high school students know it’s dangerous to text and drive, and the college students may have gotten complacent and are impressed with the realistic simulators as reminders to drive safe.

“Most students are eager to try out the simulators,” he says. “Occasionally there will be a Donnie Downer who pretends that he’s too cool to try it but, in all likelihood, is embarrassed he’ll mess up. I tell them there’s no pressure. That usually works.”

“Without the grants from State Farm, that original bus would probably still be taking up space in my driveway instead of helping save lives of teen drivers,” Justin says. “I’m grateful to the company and the grants it has provided over the past six years.”

These commands are spoken calmly, but confidently by trained driving instructors. Each year their words are heard by thousands of teens learning how to handle driving obstacles like skidding on wet pavement, navigating tight spaces, or tackling speed bumps.

It’s all part of a hands-on learning experience called Driver’s Edge. Founded in 2002, the program based in Las Vegas, Nevada, has touched the lives of more than 100,000 students. Many agree, Driver’s Edge helped prepare them for the road ahead…literally.

This free program is well-known throughout the state and surrounding areas for two reasons: the behind-the-wheel excitement and the celebrity behind the driving program.

Meet Jeff Payne:

Payne is the founder and CEO of Driver’s Edge. With more than 20 years of experience in the motorsports world, he quickly learned it takes strategy and experience to master the road. “These are skills I wanted to share with future drivers,” he explained. “My decision to teach stemmed from a growing number of teen driving crashes, and too many white crosses dotting Nevada highways.”

“Driver's Edge was a passion born out of frustration. I set out to prove that kids aren’t reckless, they just don’t know what they don’t know,” Payne explained.

Since 2002, Payne and his Driver’s Edge team, many of whom are pro-racers, performance driving instructors, and law enforcement officers - spend several weekends a year guiding students through real-life driving situations at local speedways.

Payne begins each session sharing the Driver’s Edge mission: To teach teens and their parents the responsibilities and potential dangers of operating automobiles.

“I speak openly and honestly – and don’t sugarcoat statistics,” he explained. “The fact is, too many young people die in car crashes each year. We have to do better. And that’s why we’re here.”

Back in class, the mood lightens when Payne introduces his team of instructors. Their names, (Barker, Andretti, Germone and Luyendyk) create a buzz among those familiar with NASCAR, Formula 1 and IndyCar as they step in front of the room. “Every pro-racer involved gets involved for the same reason – to save lives,” said Payne.

Student excitement builds as the instructors discuss the next step: getting behind the wheel. This experience takes place on the speedway – mirroring real life situations including changing lanes, panic brake control, skid control and ABS braking exercises.

As students take turns in the driver’s seat, tires can be heard screeching on the track as another group of teens weave through orange cones. Parents watch from the sidelines, some with hands cupped over their mouths, some nervously joking, “We never did anything like that when we were learning to drive!”

Alejandro Ponce attended the session with his mother Donna. “In my Driver’s Ed class back home, I didn’t feel like I had enough time behind the wheel with my instructor,” he said. “That’s why I appreciate this program so much.”

Alejandro’s mother says her two older daughters also went through Driver’s Edge. “I know some students are here because they’ve had a ticket or been involved in a crash. I would put every kid through this program no matter the circumstances,” said Ponce. “Parents can’t teach this kind of defensive driving. It’s invaluable and it’s free.”

16-year-old Peyton Jacoby is a Driver’s Edge program graduate. She echoes the thoughts of her peers. “This helped me become a safer driver. Not long after I got my license, I was driving on the highway in the rain. It was slick and I went into a skid – but I handled it. That day, I thought about what I learned in Driver’s Edge. I know it made the difference,” said Jacoby. Her dad Dave, believes the program should be a requirement in Nevada. “My oldest daughter went through it years ago, and now Peyton. Parents and online driver education courses can only teach so much, but Driver’s Edge takes kids beyond what we can teach behind the wheel.”

As for the program founder – Payne says this kind of learning allows students to experience a real-life situation in a safe environment. “Decisions behind the wheel should result in good outcomes versus bad ones. We can help enforce that.”

Payne credits the success of the program to the Driver’s Edge team and their commitment to saving lives. “It warms our hearts to receive hundreds of messages from parents and students each year thanking us for their Driver’s Edge experiences. We also love hearing stories like Peyton’s. Every message I get is like the first one I’ve ever received.”

Although the mechanics of cars continue to evolve and change, the Driver’s Edge focus, mission and goals remain the same.“We wouldn’t be where we are today if we didn’t connect with these students,” said Payne. “We treat them as people, not kids, and keep their attention by talking to them directly and honestly. All young drivers need this kind of education – it’s creating smart, confident adults – and saving lives.”

State Farm is a proud supporter of the Driver’s Edge program and its commitment to safe driving. To learn more about the program or ways to get involved, click here.

 June 20, 2005

 Excitement filled the home of Lourdes Verea and Dr. Jorge Verea. Their  daughter Rebeka just graduated high school, so the family celebrated with a  small gathering at their New Jersey house. That evening, Rebeka and her  buddy took a break from the celebration. Like any other night, they hopped in  the car to  pick up a friend. Little did the Verea’s know, it was the last time they would see their daughter alive.

 The Clock Struck Midnight

 The Verea’s heard a knock at their front door. It came from two police officers  who delivered the devastating news no parent wants to hear. "The driver was  speeding through a 35 mph zone with Rebeka in his passenger seat,” said    Lourdes. “His car slammed into  a turning tractor- trailer. The roof of the car was  sheared off, killing Rebeka  instantly.”

 A Time to Remember

 Thousands attended Rebeka’s wake. Seeing so many people who cared for  their daughter gave the family hope. The Verea’s realized  Rebeka’s life had impacted so many people, and they knew…they must keep sharing her story.

 Days after the service, the family formed the Rebeka Verea Foundation.

“We aim to educate teenagers on the dangers of reckless driving,” said Lourdes. “Our slogan is, Say Yes to Life.”

12 Years Later

The Verea’s are still brought to tears when speaking about Rebeka, but they’re determined to remain positive, to celebrate her life and to appreciate the countless ways their daughter touched the lives of others. 

Every spring, with the support of State Farm, the Rebeka Verea Foundation hosts two educational symposiums in New Jersey – one for educators and one for students. The symposiums feature diverse speakers such as trauma surgeons, car crash victims and police officers.

Each speaker shares their wisdom and experiences with nearly 1,000 students and 500 educators.

Their mission? To educate.

Their goal? To prevent tragedy and promote safe driving.

While the topics are serious, the Foundation also allows time for a light-hearted celebration. The symposium, held in April (the month of Rebeka’s birthday), is a tribute to her life. The students dance, wave glow-sticks, and sing Happy Birthday to Rebeka.

The Work Continues

To keep raising safe driving awareness, a permanent speed machine is stationed at the crash site. A street near the local high school has been named Rebeka Verea Way and Rebeka’s photo and the Foundation logo is displayed on a city police car.Additionally, the Foundation’s annual gala collects money to support Project Graduation in high schools throughout two counties. The event, held on graduation night, is an alcohol and drug free celebration.

“The Foundation is an integral part of our daily lives,” says Lourdes. “Sadly, my daughter died, but we’re working hard to prevent others from experiencing a similar tragedy. We’re always celebrating my daughter’s life. I feel the Foundation is far-reaching and will live on beyond our lifetime.”

It’s 2:30 a.m., and the doorbell rings. Lori Stutts answers the door, knowing deep down it can’t be good news.

The deputy coroner is at the door. She tells Lori the worst news imaginable. Her son, Zach Maurer, 22, had died.

She tells her it was a single vehicle crash that happened late the night before. Airlifted to the local hospital, they tried everything, but they couldn’t save Zach.

September 20, 2005, is a day Lori will never forget.

Facts: Zach’s blood alcohol level was .165, close to three times over the legal limit in Colorado, which is .06. He was not wearing his seat belt. He was traveling between 75-85 MPH, entering a curve with a speed limit of 30 MPH.

“When something bad happens you have choices—let it define you, let it destroy you, or you can let it strengthen you; be a victim or a victor,” she shares.

Lori chose the latter—be a victor and let the tragic loss of her only child strengthen her.

“After Zach's death, it would have been easy to just lay down and give up. But soon after the crash, I knew I had to live and share the story with the goal of telling others to think about the choices they make before getting behind the wheel," Lori explained.

She reached out to a local safety coalition, Drive Smart Weld County, which is supported by State Farm, to get involved in their teen driver safety program. Since 2006, Lori has served as one of the program’s most impactful volunteer speakers.

She chose to share her experience to teach others. She speaks to local teenagers about their choices before getting behind the wheel.

Lori uses her platform to tell teen audiences, “You are special and loved, you matter to this world; AND your choices affect everyone around you.”

Lori donated Zach’s car to the safety coalition. It was mounted onto a trailer with a storyboard. Over the years, she has traveled to schools throughout Weld County (3,900 square miles). At times, towing his car, to tell the story to students, teachers and parents.

Lori’s survival strength is evident in the delivery of her message. Students sit silently, listening and viewing pictures of Zach before the crash, news clips and the car after the crash.

Afterward, as students file out of the room, many stop to give her comforting hugs.  Lori will never know how many lives she has saved or changed because of her son’s story. However, if just one teen’s mind was changed, she knows the years of sharing her message of love, strength and choices, was worth it.

“Don’t drink and drive.” “Don’t drive while distracted.” A couple of phrases most teens have heard hundreds of times from parents, at school, or on the news.

Hearing the message is one thing, but what really drives the message home and creates change? In Texas, its peer-to-peer communication. Teens speaking and sharing with other teens, in their own words and ways.

Teens were challenged to convey the importance of practicing safe driving habits through visual arts. The Texas A&M University Transportation Institute’s Teens in the Driver’s Seat organization and State Farm, together, host the poster and video contest. The ninth annual “Driving the Message” event was held at CityLink in Richardson, TX in the spring of 2016.

Today’s youth want to create positive change in their communities, contrary to some opinions of this generation. They are more than just social media and phone obsessed teens. In fact, 23 student leaders from Pennsylvania want their peers to put down those very phones and just drive.

This group of inspiring leaders are part of SADD – Students Against Destructive Decisions, supported by State Farm. In April of 2016, the group attended the Pennsylvania SADD Youth Safety Summit. There they spoke about wanting to prevent tragedies in the form of auto crashes from happening to their peers. They want to make sure new drivers get the experience behind the wheel they need and to help enact policy changes that will keep them safe.

The Pennsylvania high schoolers, equipped with relevant information, candidly discussed teen driver laws, specifically an amendment to a larger distracted driving bill. The bill, if passed, would require a zero tolerance policy for teen drivers when it comes to electronic devices (phones).

After a serious and thoughtful discussion, the teens decided to not only back the bill but share their opinions with decision makers – Pennsylvania state legislators.

Mairin didn’t speak up for herself; she didn’t stop him from speeding. Her boyfriend walked away from the crash. She didn’t.

Cara Filler, Mairin’s identical twin sister, was in the car behind them. She watched her twin sister, her best friend, die.

That experience ended Mairin’s life and changed Cara’s forever. Since that day, Cara has committed her life to teaching young people that everyday choices count.

“I’m sick and tired of car crashes being the number one killer of youth. Car crashes are preventable,” says Cara. “I want students to realize they don’t have to become a statistic. They can speak up for themselves and their friends in any situation, and maybe by, sharing my story, they will.”

“Cara’s presentation has influenced me in a way that I can feel free to let go of the pain and anger” says Christina Lorenzo, senior at Hialeah Gardens High. “My father had a choice to either get into a boat with his drunk friends or not.”

“There was a fight on the boat resulting in my dad getting thrown overboard and drowning. My dad made the wrong choice,” Christina continued. “I realized now I can also help inspire others to make the right choices by sharing my story.”

Cara is met with a similar reaction after every school presentation. She says she’s part of a club no one should ever want to join — the “I lost somebody I care about” club — and her words have prevented other students from joining that group by teaching them that they always have a choice.

“Her story really hit home,” says Victoria Segovia, senior at Hialeah Gardens High. “My boyfriend sometimes drives fast while I’m in the car. I tell him to slow down. He doesn’t listen to me. After hearing Cara story today, I now know I can speak up. I don’t have to be in the car if he wants to drive fast. I’ll get out of the car and walk home if I have to.”

Speaking at more than 2,100 school assemblies across the world, Cara has empowered over 2 million students to stand up for themselves, their friends, and their beliefs. Her heartwarming, honest and at times hilarious presentation, has changed and saved lives for over two decades.

Most students will remember her for a little dance she performs that may save their lives.

To combat the epidemic killing American teens, Cara founded the Drive to Save Lives Tour, North America’s number one resource for prevention speakers. Like Cara, their mission is to help spread positive messages that put the brakes on the loss of teen lives due to destructive decisions.

“The Parent's Supervised Driving Program marks another milestone in Nevada's efforts to keep teen drivers safe,” said DMV Director Terri Albertson. “It's a great way for teens to learn the driving skills they need and a valuable refresher for the parents.”

The program features a 52-page printed guide that focuses on the role of the parent in the teen driver education process and encourages parents and teens to drive together in a variety of weather conditions, unfamiliar settings, city and heavy traffic routes, and also various times of day.

A copy will be given to every driver age 16 or 17 when they pass the DMV written test to obtain an instruction permit.

A fun, and useful supplement to the printed guide is the RoadReady mobile app. It easily and accurately tracks the required 50 hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience. The downloadable RoadReady log is accepted by the DMV as proof of the required training.

Last year, more than 11,000 Nevada teens sought instruction permits, and the department wanted to provide parents with a resource geared toward skill development and expanding the conditions and time that teens drive with their parents prior to driving independently.

“Getting a driver’s license is a special moment in a teen’s life, but it often causes increased anxiety for parents,” said Ed Gold, State Farm Advertising Director. “Research tells us the single most important thing parents can do to help their teens stay safe on the road is to provide as much supervised practice behind the wheel as possible. We hope this new resource will help parents and teens make the most of this time together.”

According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a State Farm study, Driving Through the Eyes of Teens, teen drivers whose parents are highly involved in the teen driver education process were:

• half as likely to get in a car crash,
• 71 percent less likely to drive intoxicated,
• 30 percent less likely to use a cell phone while driving,
• and twice as likely to wear seatbelts.

The curriculum is developed by Safe Roads Alliance, along with safety experts, and the guidebooks are published by J.F. Griffin Publishing.

“Parents are the key to assuring the safety of teen drivers" said Emily Stein, president of Safe Roads Alliance. "The more involved the parents are at this important phase when a teen is learning to drive, the more likely it will be that these teens will not be involved in a collision once they are driving on their own.”

The free program guide is available at DMV offices around the state and the Nevada DMV website at dmvnv.com/teens. The RoadReady mobile app is available for iPhones at the App Store.

True or false. Car crashes are the number one cause of death for teen drivers? It’s true. In 2014, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety, there were 77,399 vehicle crashes in Texas involving teen drivers.

A Texas Fire Chief has seen this reality up close and personal.

“Every firefighter dreads responding to vehicle crashes involving teens. What a senseless feeling it is to witness death or severe injury that will change that young person’s life forever!” The Woodlands Township Chief Alan Benson said. “Anything public safety can do to decrease vehicle crashes would be a win-win-win for teens, families, and our community.”

So, Chief Benson set about on a mission to save teen drivers’ lives.

To reduce distracted-driving, Chief Benson partnered with the Montgomery County Emergency Communication District. Together, they asked State Farm to help them establish a new program to provide teens with a hands-on experience in a controlled environment. A grant from State Farm would allow the purchase of three pedal karts and a trailer to store and transport them to local high schools and community events.

“With motor vehicle crashes being the leading cause of death for teens in Texas and the United States, I was happy to work with Chief Benson to find a way to impact those numbers,” shared Brent Wroten, a resident of The Woodlands and a State Farm Vice President of Agency. “State Farm has a history of caring and partnering with organizations to encourage safe driving. If this pedal kart experience can save one teenager’s life, it will be worth all of our efforts.”

Each teen gets two turns on the pedal karts, while trying to navigate an orange-coned circuit. First, they get to drive without any distractions or impairments. Then they drive while texting or wearing goggles that simulate blurred vision associated with being drunk or drugged. This experience changes their perceptions of how dangerous it truly is to drive wile distracted or under the influence.

Since November 2015, hundreds of local teens used and learned from the pedal karts. Dakota Richards, a 15 year old sophomore at Willis High School, is one of those students. Dakota who was thrilled to be one of the first to drive the kart shared, “The experience was really cool and I plan to talk with my teacher about arranging to bring it to my high school in the spring so other students can benefit.”

Chief Benson, who jokingly test drove one of the karts at the unveiling, is pleased that for years to come, the karts will build awareness with teens about the importance of driving undistracted and unimpaired.

Nestled in the Wabash River valley of southeastern Illinois, right along the Indiana state border, lies the small town of Mt. Carmel. A community of approximately 7,300 people, it looks like your typical, picturesque Midwestern town.

What truly makes this town unique is how its high school students and teachers rally together with the community to ensure every driver is as safe as possible on the road.

Mt. Carmel High School first participated in Celebrate My Drive (CMD), a State Farm teen driver safety program in 2013. Since then, the high school has won $225,000 in grant dollars to assist with safe driving initiatives and school improvements.

The unified force and CMD success is amazing for a town the size of Mt. Carmel. But to see the true impact of these efforts, one only has to meet one local family.

“Mt Carmel is a very close community, people care about each other. We are very quick to unite when it’s about our kids,” shared Principal Pat Cheesman. “That was true fifteen years ago when Jason lost his life, and it is still true today. Our passion for our kids drives our teen safe driving efforts at the high school.”

June 25, 2001: a day they would never forget

It was a normal summer day at the Ile house. Mom (Cathy), Dad (Curt) and their three sons, Jason, Steven and Michael were going about their day. Cathy fried a chicken and baked a coconut cream pie for dinner, some of Jason’s favorites.

Cathy just got home after running errands and her senses told her something was wrong. Where was Jason? He was baling hay earlier, but should be home by now, she thought.

The phone rings. It’s the local hospital and they tell her come quickly, Jason and Steven were in a car crash. She couldn’t believe it, two of her boys in the same crash!

Cathy and Curt rushed to the hospital. They learned Jason was in a car with three friends (and football teammates). The foursome were driving to town for a bite to eat after bailing hay. On the return trip, the driver accelerated the car to jump a railroad track; an act of reckless driving known as “hilltopping.”

When the car met the gravel road, the driver lost control and sideswiped a concrete bridge abutment. The impact split the car behind the driver’s seat where Jason was seated.

Jason wore his seatbelt, but sustained 21 internal injuries and died. Cathy asked about Steven, only to learn it was a different Steven and not her son.

There was a brief second of relief, but the loss of Jason hit the family hard. Earlier that week, Jason sprained his ankle and didn’t feel up to baling hay. Cathy told him to stay home to rest. But his dad told him to toughen up and go - something he would second-guess forever.

Jason’s lasting impact

Jason was part of a very close class at Mt. Carmel High School. Principal Pat Cheesman’s son was actually part of Jason’s class. With a small school, students are usually close, but this particular class was different.

Pat says the community has never forgotten Jason, and their love for him helps drive their efforts today.

State Farm agent Dan Schonert’s daughter was a classmate and close friend of Jason’s. To this day, every time the agent thinks about the moment they heard about the wreck, he gets emotional.

“We are a small town where you get to know most of the kids as they grow up with your own kids. They become like extended family. We all hurt deeply when one is hurt or loses their life,” Dan shared.

It was difficult but the family honored Jason’s wish to be an organ donor. Because of their brave, selfless decision, an eight year old boy and 10 month old boy received organs that would allow them to live and lead normal lives.

Jason’s death prompted Cathy and Curt to work with legislators to pass (HB4006) a new law which made the crash a felony. Under HB4006, if a person drives a vehicle and uses an incline in a roadway, such as a railroad crossing, bridge approach, or hill, to cause the vehicle to become airborne, the driver commits reckless homicide if he or she unintentionally kills an individual while “hilltopping.”

Moving forward through the pain

When the school and the community got involved with CMD, the family saw it as a chance to get involved too.They shared their story, hoping to prevent other families from experiencing what they did.

Steven, who took his brother’s death very hard, opened up and gave radio interviews about his brother’s fatal crash. Steven also started the Jason Ile Memorial Golf Scramble. The annual event raises money for a scholarship fund that awards $1,000 to graduating seniors with clean driving records.

Today, Mt. Carmel High School continues their push to educate drivers, young and old, about staying safe on the road. As prom and graduation season nears, the school is gearing up efforts to promote safe driving during these major celebrations in a teen’s life.

Safety tips are periodically shown on flat screen monitors throughout the school, as well as emailed directly to student. Students have created billboard messages, public service video announcements, and will soon have a new driving simulator to help new teen drivers.

The community has continued to join in. Schonert and another State Farm Agent, Ken Saxe, participate in many of the school’s activities. Local law enforcement have safety checks around the school to make sure everyone is being safe.

“Dan and I will do whatever we can to promote teen driving safety, to keep our kids safe and our community strong,” Ken said.

The end of the school year is a celebratory time for high school students with proms and graduations. With automobile crashes still the leading cause of death for teens, State Farm wants to help teens and their parents Celebrate Safe, Drive Safe with these tips:

RELATED INFOGRAPHIC: 5 Safety Reminders for Parents of Teen Drivers

John LoCurto knew a boy with polio while growing up in Bergen County, NJ. He wore heavy braces on both legs and struggled to do normal childhood activities.

“He would attempt to ride his bicycle but would fall over with the braces,” said LoCurto. “He was a tough kid. He never accepted help from others, but one couldn’t help but feel sympathy for him.”

This boy was the catalyst for LoCurto to begin his journey to become a doctor.

LoCurto volunteered in the Emergency Room at Hackensack Hospital during high school and became an emergency room technician. While he went to medical school for orthopedic surgery, he soon shifted gears. Dr. LoCurto, MD, FACS realized he wanted to be more involved with saving lives, and changed his career to trauma/critical care.

“Trauma saves lives, it is challenging and has quick rewards,” Dr. LoCurto said. “I can be sleeping in the on-call room and the next thing I know, I’m fighting to save the life of a young adult with a knife stuck in his heart. I’ve seen victims of car crashes, burns, major falls, gunshots and stabbings – every disaster imaginable.”

“Fortunately, we’re making strides and have seen a drop in drunk driving-related deaths” Dr. LoCurto said. “However, more than one person is killed every hour of the day from a drunk driving crash. Every year and a half, we kill more people on our roads than all the American soldiers in the Vietnam conflict. It’s war on our roadways.”

“Drug usage is also a major problem,” he shared. “Drug deaths have doubled over the years and many victims are under the age of 18. I think we should begin developing and presenting educational programs to younger students – maybe starting as early as six years of age to make a long lasting impact.”

When he is teaching medical students and residents he stresses, “It’s a privilege to do what we do. We meet people and their families at their worst and it’s our responsibility to save them. We dive into the middle of people’s lives, are responsible for what’s most valuable to them and hope to hand the loved one back to them in one piece.”

As for the boy with polio? “I get choked up thinking about him,” said Dr. LoCurto, “But he’s doing well. He eventually shed the braces. He now works in construction and is married with children. I’m thankful he influenced me to become a doctor.”

“As a new driver, I listen and observe closely what my parents say about safe driving, but sometimes their words don’t match their actions behind the wheel,” says Rina Matarasso.

“I caught myself, a couple of times, mapping on the phone while driving,” says Charlie Matarasso, Rina’s dad. “I take quick glances at my phone to see if I missed a call. I know I shouldn’t do it and I tell my daughter not to, but I still do it sometimes.”

A survey conducted by State Farm® in 2011 reported 54 percent of teens have seen their parents using a phone while driving. Parents are one of the most important influences on teen drivers and how they handle themselves behind the wheel creates a powerful example for their teens.

“My dad doesn’t really fully stop at a stop sign,” says Andres Bonilla. “My parents also have a habit of checking their phone at a traffic light. I see what they do. Is it okay for me to do the same?”

The Humanity Project and students at Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, Florida worked with peers, parents and community auto safety advocates to create an online safe driving booklet for parents called, “I Care! Just Help Them Drive!” The Humanity Project is a non-profit organization, supported by State Farm®, which creates innovative, arts-based programs to help youth solve social problems.

“The booklet offers parents, in a witty and memorable fashion, why they need to practice what they preach to their teenage drivers – with tips about how to do that,” says Bob Knotts, founder of The Humanity Project. It includes a comic strip created by Rina and advice to parents from a teenage professional car driver, Jarret Voorhies.

Driving can be stressful for everyone, especially parents of teen drivers. “I’ve seen the look of terror in my own parents’ eyes when I drive,” says Jarret Voorhies. “Here are four things I’ve learned from racing that parents can teach their teens:”

Listen as Rina and her dad talk with Bob Knotts about the impact parents have on teen drivers. The full podcast can be found on The Humanity Project website.

“I Care! Just Help Them Drive!” is an expansion of the first online booklet, “I Care, Just Let Me Drive.” Both were created by teens, for teens to share among each other and with their parents. The Humanity Project plans to promote “I Care! Just Help Them Drive!” with high schools, PTA’s and auto safety organizations nationwide. To read more of the advice shared by teens, download the free booklet.

Most of us remember asking that question when we finally got our license.

Getting a driver’s license is a symbol of independence for 16 year olds. But, for some, it may no longer be as important.

Lack of money and a car, busy with other activities, and teen driver safety laws in their state are some reasons teens are waiting longer to get behind the wheel. (State Farm, 2013)

Some teens also shared they are nervous or scared to drive and that is why they are waiting to get their license. And with good reason, the number one killer of American teens is car crashes.

High School Junior Logan Watkins, in Winter Haven, FL recalls the many “medi-vac helicopter” rescues at the busy intersection near her home. “It really scared me. I knew the online driver’s education requirement wasn’t going to be enough for me to be confident and competent behind the wheel. So I wasn’t in any hurry to drive.” Several of her classmates felt the same way.

When Logan heard about the Teen Driver Challenge program from her school administrators, she was very interested. The program was developed by and offered, state-wide, by The Florida Sheriff’s Association.

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The Challenge is not a supplemental or advanced driving course. It is a defensive driving program that covers various topics including:

• Vehicle Dynamics
• Human Factors
• Responsibility and Liability
• Effects of Drugs and Alcohol
• Night Driving
• Aggressive Driving

The course is an intensive, half day of classroom instruction and half day of practical driving in the teen’s car with a Florida Sheriff’s Deputy. This includes the reminder to always keep two hands on the wheel and two eyes on the road.

Logan was grateful for the in-depth classroom study which included actual crash videos and, especially, the personal instruction in her own vehicle.

“I’m more comfortable behind the wheel and I feel more prepared to react to other drivers’ habits and potential dangers.”

So, teens today may have a few reasons to wait to drive, but for some Florida teens, one of the reasons isn’t fear of the danger and the new responsibilities thanks to The Teen Driver Challenge.

State Farm is the major sponsor of the Teen Driver Challenge. Their gift helps keep the classes FREE to teen drivers.

17-year-old Jane Modlesky was the funniest and sweetest person they had ever known, her friends and family said. About to enter her senior year at Glastonbury High School in Connecticut, Jane was a top-performing scholar and volunteer.. She was also a high performingan athlete, competing incompete select Lacrosse teams and tournaments.

“Everyone knew Jane,” shared her best friend, Audrey Apanovitch. “Whenever she met someone, they instantly became friends. Everyone looked up to her, including me. She was one of a kind.”

Sadly, on July 14, 2013, the unfortunate decisions of several young people cut Jane’s life short.

After leaving a party, Jane and four other teenagers got into a car, taking turns driving to their respective homes. Jane was the last to take the wheel, although she was in no condition to drive. A half mile later, Jane crashed into a tree and died.

“When I learned of Jane’s crash, I was in a state of shock,” explains Jane’s mother, Cammi Modlesky. “You never think it’s going to happen to your family. I trusted my daughter immensely and this type of behavior was not the norm for Jane. She had so much potential, had so much to live for, and was loved by so many.”

As Audrey watched her tight-knit community come to terms with everything, she noticed a need for increased education on Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) teen driver safety laws. Hoping to fill this gap, she founded Be the Key.

With help from Connecticut Children’s Medical Center researchers, Audrey examined high school student parking passes. She learned 88% of parking pass applications did not outline GDL laws.

Audrey realized, while many knew these laws existed, few knew all of the guidelines. In Connecticut, for instance, new drivers are restricted from driving with passengers, other than parents or instructors, for the first six months.

“Glastonbury students must now sign up for Be the Key to earn the privilege of parking at the high school,” says Audrey. “They agree to follow the laws, such as being home by curfew and not driving with too many passengers. There’s also a passenger section, where applicants pledge to not distract drivers.”

Approximately 700 students participated this year.

The student board of Be the Key has also prompted discussions on teen driver safety education. They even added a lesson about GDL laws to the sophomore health class. Additionally, the school now gives driving students color-coded hang tags which serve as a visual reminder of their GDL status restrictions.

“Some may look at these laws as restrictions on their freedoms, but they’re really about good life choices and keeping us safe,” Added Audrey.

“Audrey has taken a courageous stand,” says Cammi. “Before Jane died, there was a lot of misunderstanding about safe driving issues. Audrey knows the positive impact of GDL laws and isn’t afraid to let her voice be heard. It’s unfortunate it’s taken the tragic death of my daughter to make others stand up and take notice.”

Looking to expand Be the Key throughout Connecticut, Glastonbury High School took part in State Farm’s Celebrate My Drive (CMD) program. CMD was designed to celebrate new teen drivers and encourage smart choices behind the wheel.

Many plans are in progress to encourage awareness, including a community kick-off event featuring bands, local celebrities, obstacle courses, free food, a large social media push, and even assistance from across the pond.

Be the Key’s Celebrate My Drive committee reached out to and confirmed support from the mayor of their “sister city,” Glastonbury, England. Additionally, Audrey and other Board members will speak with the entire student body the first day of National Teen Driver Safety Week to encourage their safe driving commitments.

“My cousin, who also lost a child, once used the analogy that young people, because of their inexperience, don’t have back roads; they only travel on superhighways,” adds Cammi. “After seeing how Glastonbury High School’s students had to grow up so quickly after Jane’s death, I realized they now have the experience of back roads.”

In movies and daydreams, America in decades past was a land of open highways, stylish vehicles and a simpler life. It was an era of Route 66, drive-ins and cruising.

It was also an era when lots of people died in car crashes.

As a percentage of the U.S. population, traffic fatalities were more than twice as high in the 1960s than today. In raw numbers, 1972 was the deadliest year. That year more than 54,000 fatalities, compared with fewer than 34,000 deaths in 2012, despite having a much larger population base, occurred. And measured in deaths per million vehicle miles traveled (VMT), the current rate of 1.1. This is significantly reduced from the 7.2 rate of 1950 – and a fraction of the 1921 rate of 24.1 deaths per million VMT.

Making changes to save lives

So what’s changed, and how did it happen? Simply put, researchers pinpointed problems. Then engineers, policymakers and advocates tackled them one by one.

View Auto Safety Timeline

“It wasn’t that long ago that a lot of things we take for granted today didn’t exist,” said Anne McCartt, Senior Vice President for Research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). “Painted lines on the roads, shoulders, guardrails… By the 1960s cars had seatbelts, but people didn’t use them.”

And then there are technological improvements like airbags and child safety seats. Although required today, they were optional in the past.

In all these cases, researchers analyzed data from car crashes to figure out why injuries and deaths were happening. Then they determined what action to take to correct the source of the problem.

The power of “research to action”

A great deal of data came from insurance companies, which have unique insight into the often tragic results of crashes.

“Through our ‘research to action’ philosophy at State Farm, we focus on research to identify specific risks and evidence-supported actions we can take to achieve a positive impact,” said Chris Mullen, Director of Technology Research at State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. “If you truly want to be a good neighbor – and we do – you want to help people avoid risks whenever possible.”

To show how far we’ve come and the cumulative impact of the “research to action” philosophy, State Farm created an interactive timeline that highlights key advancements in auto safety starting in the late 1800’s.

As a founding member of IIHS, backer of research, data source and advocate, Mullen said, State Farm has played a role in many critical changes, including:

• Airbags: A leading role in the early 1980s legal battle that resulted in the requirement for airbags today. This decision had even went all the way to the Supreme Court.

• Child safety: A joint effort with The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia® to research child passenger safety in the late 1990s. This led to numerous changes in car seats, usage recommendations and laws in the years since.

• Teen drivers: Research and education related to young drivers and science-based efforts to make Graduated Driver Licensing. This is a program that lets new drivers gain experience gradually.

But changes don’t need to make headlines to be significant. McCartt noted that State Farm data on whiplash cases led the IIHS to review head restraints. This in turn led auto manufacturers to redesign them.

“The whole consumer awareness effort about auto safety is huge,” said McCartt. “Auto manufacturers now make it a selling point. It’s just phenomenal how much safer we are today.”

What’s next: Automated vehicle technology, engaged driving

McCartt said the IIHS is retooling to allow research on automated safety systems, like braking assist and other collision avoidance technologies. She said the technology side is the next big wave, and it requires entirely different facilities to test it.

On the driver side of the equation, Mullen and State Farm are focusing on the Engaged Driving Initiative (EDI).

“In 2012, the Auto Technology Research staff that I lead at State Farm conducted an environmental scan to identify significant auto safety research issues needing to be addressed. Distracted driving shot to the top of the list,” said Mullen. “Today drivers are challenged with demands on their attention by multiple devices and activities that may distract them from driving. We need to determine the best ways to encourage drivers to take personal responsibility in adopting safety-conscious behaviors.”

As part of EDI, State Farm is backing researchers exploring the causes and solutions of distraction, and even how best to research it. (The researchers presented their findings at the Engaged Driving Symposium (March 31, 2014, Washington D.C.)

It’s the first step towards future safety innovations– and a critical moment for those whose lives will be saved in years to come.