Biloxi High Receives Allstate Grant to Promote Safe Driving

Fifty six percent of U.S. teens admit they talk on the phone while driving. Biloxi High School is one of a handful of Mississippi schools who received a grant from Allstate to promote driving safety to teens. One in five 16 year old drivers has an accident within their first year of driving.

The National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere (S.A.V.E.) is working to lower that statistic. S.A.V.E. recently received a $75,000 teen safe driving grant. Biloxi is one of 16 schools in Mississippi to get a cut of the money to help improve its safe driving programs. Daisy Watson, campus police officer for the Biloxi School District, says, "Here we do random seatbelt checks for the kids that we pull over. They like it. We give them candy if they’re buckled up, if they’re not we give them Dum Dums."

Allstate hopes recipients of the grant will use the money to educate students on making good choices after turning the ignition. Biloxi High student members of S.A.V.E. are working to teach their peers about the dangers of distracted driving. Abigail Lawson, a junior at Biloxi High, says, "It’s not worth it being distracted. Your food can wait or that text can wait or the call can wait."

Anna Chataginer, another junior at Biloxi High, says, "Driving safe is one of the most important things in the world. You can hurt yourself or you can hurt someone else."

This weekend, Biloxi High is holding a convention to advocate for safe driving among teens, highlighting some of their programs. At this year’s prom, student members of S.A.V.E. will be handing out roses to students while reminding them to stay safe when getting behind the wheel, something the Allstate grant will help fund. Watson closes, "It means a lot. I have 1,500 kids here and if I can just help out one or two and teaching them about distracted driving or things to do behind the wheel, if I can just teach one or two, I know I made a difference."

Motor vehicle injuries killed, on average, seven teenagers ages 16 to 19 each day in 2011. Allstate and schools alike hope these grants will help cut back on teen accidents and save lives.