Central Islip, NY – July 20, 2018 – Local human service agency EAC Network is the proud recipient of a $30,000 State Farm Good Neighbor Citizenship Grant to support its Teen Driving Equation program, which cultivates and enforces positive driving skills and responsibilities among teens so they develop safe driving habits.
“Suffolk County has the most dangerous roads and the lowest percentage of seat belt usage rate in New York State. We are extremely grateful to State Farm for once again sponsoring our Teen Driving Equation program’s Kids Cars n’ Consequences collaboration between parents, teens, and the greater community to help teens understand the crucial role they play not only in preventing motor vehicle crashes, but also influencing safe driving practices among their peers,” said Rachel Lugo, Division Director of Family & Vocational Services at EAC Network.
The grant supports efforts to promote the use of seat belts and the proper use of car seats, reduce excessive speed and passenger distractions, provide a comprehensive curriculum on safe driving practices, and host driving simulations so teens can “experience” the dangers of impaired and distracted driving.
Occupant protection and staying safe behind the wheel do not begin and end with driver education classes or with a set of instructions. They are part of a lifetime equation developed over time and are gradual learning processes gained through education and community awareness.
“Keeping people safe on our roadways is a proud part of the State Farm heritage and who we are today. In the United States, the fatal crash rate per mile driven for 16-19 year-olds is nearly three times the rate for drivers aged 20 and over. We are strongly committed to doing everything we can to reduce these needless tragedies and help save lives,” said Janava Benton, Spokesperson at State Farm.
The grant also sponsored a recent child passenger safety event in conjunction with Legislator Rudy Sunderman, the Suffolk County Police Department, and the Mastic Ambulance Company, for another EAC Network program, Safe Start, which promotes the safety of all occupants riding in motor vehicles in order to reduce the number of children riding unrestrained. Primary funding for Safe Start is provided by the National Highway Safety Administration with a grant from the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.
“Most people aren’t aware of the complexity of proper car seat installation or the fact that car seats have expiration dates. In this day and age, it’s difficult to find the time to make sure the car seat is in compliance with current safety standards. This program gives parents an opportunity to have their car seat inspected by a professional to ensure it will stand up to an impact and protect their child,” said Legislator Sunderman.
To learn more about Teen Driving Equation, visit www.eac-network.org/teen-driving-equation-program.
To learn more about Safe Start, visit www.eac-network.org/safe-start.
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About EAC Network
EAC Network is a diverse not-for-profit human service agency that empowers, assists, and cares for over 82,000 children, families, and seniors in crisis across Long Island and New York City. Among those we help are children who have been abused or who are in foster care, people struggling with addiction or mental illness, vulnerable seniors, individuals seeking gainful employment, and more. For more information, visit us at www.eac-network.org, call (516) 539-0150, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @EACNet.
Contact
Alena Jones │ Director of Development & Marketing │ (516) 539-0150 x117 │ alena.jones@eac-network.org
