Concordville, PA, November 17, 2011 - State Farm is pleased to award the Champion of GDL award to Representative Katharine Watson, (R- Bucks), to recognize her efforts over the last six years to enact positive change for teen drivers. Rep. Watson becomes the 23rd legislator in the United States to receive this prestigious award.
State Farm® applauds the Pennsylvania legislature for passing House Bill 9, also known as Lacey’s Law, which will save lives by limiting the number of passengers a junior driver can have in their vehicle; increase the number of hours required for behind the wheel training; and make seat belt usage a primary offense for drivers under the age of 18.
“Learning to drive is an exciting time in the lives of teenagers. But this excitement should come with an opportunity to gradually acquire driving skills. This legislation is a good step toward keeping teens and all drivers safer on our roadways,” said Robert Yi, senior vice president of State Farm’s Northeast Zone.
Motor vehicle crashes remain the number one killer of teens. Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) has proven to be effective in reducing the crash risk of new drivers. According to the National Safety Council and other experts, states with strong Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws have a reduction in crashes involving teen drivers by up to 40%. Lacey’s law strengthens the Pennsylvania law. “Rep. Watson has taken steps to help reduce the number of teen crashes and ultimately save lives here in Pennsylvania,” said Doug Griffith, Public Affairs Specialist, who presented the award to the Representative.
Enforcement of these new driving restrictions begins at home. While parents are in the best position to impose GDL requirements, having this law in place emphasizes the vital importance our state places on teen driver safety.
A formal presentation of the award to Rep. Watson will take place on Friday, December 16, at 1:00 pm at the State Farm Concordville Operations Center, located at the intersection of Routes 1 and 202 in Delaware County.Dave Phillips, Concordville Operations Center, State Farm Insurance, (610) 358-7667/
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