This is part of a sponsored collaboration with Latina Mom Bloggers and State Farm. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
As I was telling you in my recent post introducing State Farm’s Safe Drive Campaign I believe that it’s never too soon to start talking to your kids about safe driving and teaching them by example. More young teenagers ages 14-18 years old die from car crashes than from any other cause. I find this scary but also see a great opportunity here because this is something that we can change. We can reduce the number of teen deaths due to car crashes by building awareness, being informed, getting empowered with that information and making a commitment to foster safe driving habits for our children, for our teens!
Teens, just like all of us, are more open to positive interactions than they are to parents using scare tactics like taking away privileges. State Farm’s Celebrate My Drive program is grounded in that notion: that sharing and education building is more powerful than scaring. The program is about encouraging teens to take the time to consider the excitement of the road ahead while committing to employing safer driving skills.
State Farm found that in 2012 more than 50% of schools and families where not having conversations about safe driving! That is pretty scary, but the good news it that those numbers are so easy to change. All you have to do is sit down and talk with your teen and encourage your school to start those conversations as well. Did you know that 64% of teen believe believe hearing information from parents/guardians is effective in reducing texting while driving; however, 66% of teens indicate rarely having conversations with parents about safe driving.
I already started having conversation with my kids about safe driving and I hope that by starting early and by opening those channels of communication I will be protecting my kids from the number one killer of teenagers: car crashes!
The State Farm Celebrate My Drive Initiative
Celebrate My Drive was created by State Farm in 2012 to share the belief that safe driving is a lifelong commitment from the start. Since last year, thousands of students, family, friends and high school staff members have joined the party. High schools can register and teens will get emails with daily driving commitments, the more commitments your teen makes the more chances their school has to win a $100,000 or $25,000 grant and even a grand prize concert from Kelly Clarkson! A total of $3.25 million in grants will be awarded to 100 winning high schools!
You can visit Celebrate My Drive to learn more about how you can register your school and like Celebrate My Drive on Facebook for updates. You can also follow them on twitter @StateFarm . You can also visit the Teen Driver Safety Website to learn about your state’s laws, get safe driving tips and take advantage of a series of helpful driving tools. My favorite tool is the Road Trips tool that teaches parents the skills that teens need, helps you plan the practice sessions and even has a log so you can keep track of your teen’s practice time so that you can prepare your teen with a lifetime of safe driving habits.
Giveaway
You can win one of three (3) $25 gift cards.
- Giveaway is only open to US residents (48 contiguous states) and are 18 and older. Giveaway ends on October 16th at 11:59pm. Enter by following the instructions on the Rafflecopter below.
Paula studied architecture and now makes a living as a freelance writer,traveler and amateur photographer.She started her writing & publishing career as the editor of Bebé y Mamá, the first parenting magazine in Guatemala.She is the founder of www.GrowingUpBilingual.com and www.365thingsswfl.com and writes articles in Spanish and English for both magazines and the web on travel,food and bicultural and bilingual parenting .
When she is not on a plane or road trip she likes to create recipes inspired in the flavors of her native Guatemala.
- Guatemalan Dulce de Chilacayote Recipe (Crystalized Chilacayote Candy) - February 26, 2024
- Guatemalan Naranjas en Miel Recipe (Candied Oranges Recipe) - February 25, 2024
- Traditional Guatemalan Candy - February 25, 2024
I think this is such a good way to not only perhaps get your school a bit of money but raise awareness on driving safety as well 🙂 X
This is fantastic! I’d love to enter but I’m in the UK 🙁
I agree, it is never to early to start talking to your children about safe driving habits. Then when they become drivers it will be in their heads whether they realize it or not.
My Grandkids school is not registered. I need to find out the principals email so he can get the school registered.
Well, we homeschool but I did look up the local high school & they aren’t registered.
What a great giveaway! My school in the area is not registered 🙁
My district’s High School is part of this!!
My oldest son was getting ready to get his license when two of his friends were killed in a car accident, he is almost 17 and still does not want his license. It is a shame that so many young kids are lost because of carelessness, seat belts would have saved these boys, now every day almost 2 years later I run by their memorial on my normal running route and still see friends and family stopping by because they are so missed.
Ohh Jennifer how incredibley sad. I can imagine how hard it was for your son, no wonder he doesn’t want to get his license. It’s tough because I think teens are many times to immature to drive but then again in our society we need the car for everything and many places don’t have good public transport. Campaigns like this really help though and I think it’s amazing that that they are giving grants to promote driving safety programs in schools.
Our local high school is registered.
our local school is not yet registered
Ours is registered.
My School Is Not Registered
my school is not on the list
We have state farm insurance. Yes it’s never to early to discuss with your children about the safety when driving.
Oh how nice. I have to find out if my kids school participates on this..
It must be a different post with driving topic because I see picture of the same lovely girl pretending to drive. Anyway, sounds like a good thing having a serious talk with your teens about safety driving. State farm have tons of inspiring story.
What a cutie! My daughter is six and can’t wait to drive!
I don’t like to drive. Fortunately, I work from home.
Our school is not registered.
My family always scared me about driving.. they allowed my 15 year old brothers to drive but because I’m a girl, I wasn’t allowed to take the lessons and learn myself. 🙁 There was always some sort of fear that I will not drive well and end up hurting myself. Such a shame, bc I’m now 28 and have no ability to drive bc I’m scared out of my mind to learn!!
I believe that as early as we can it’s better to talk to our kids on how to be more careful when driving for themselves as long as others.
My local high school is registered!
my school is registered
My school is not registred
My School is not listed
Yes out local high school is registered
This sounds like a great campaign. If our schools are not registered, is there a way to request?
What a great program. My aunt just died from a car accident and if drivers paid more attention, stuff like may happen less.
I joined! Good luck to us!
I bet you daughter is going to be excited that she’s going to drive her own car in the future. 🙂
Unfortunately our local school is not registered. I will have to try and get them registered.
My son’s school is registered.
Yep…ours is registered! Yeah!
Yes, my son’s school is on there!
Yes, my sons school is registered.
Our local high school – Harlingen High School in Harlingen , TX is registered
Hola ya envie una solicitud por que la escuela de mi hijo no estaba en lista 🙂 este programa es de mucha ayuda mas que nada para los adolecentes que quieren aprender a conducir
Gracias por el sorteo
La escuela de mis hijos ya esta registrada 🙂
My school is not registered!
My school is not registered.
I did not find our local schools registered.
My daughter’s school is not registered, I sent an e-mail to her principal.