RICHMOND, Va. — Tammy Gweedo McGee lost her 16-year-old son Conner in a car crash in 2019. All three people in the car were killed, including the driver, who police say was unlicensed and speeding at the time of the crash.
"It's a call no mother wants to get. It's heart wrenching," Gweedo McGee said.
That loss pushed her to become a safe driving advocate, working to educate families and young drivers about the importance of making safe choices behind the wheel.
The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is known as the "100 deadliest days" on the road — a stretch that sees a significant spike in deadly teen crashes. According to AAA, more than 30 percent of deadly teen crashes happen during these summer months.
"We lose more teenagers now than any other time of year," Gweedo McGee said.
Gweedo McGee says distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving, and too many passengers in a car are among the biggest risks for teens during the summer months. With schools letting out and more young drivers on the roads, advocates urge parents to start conversations now about safe driving habits.
"We want them to sit down at the breakfast table, at the dinner table. We want them to talk about driving kills and that one simple mistake can be the difference between life and death," Gweedo McGee said.
Safe driving advocates recommend simple steps that can save lives:
- Buckling up every ride
- Putting phones on "Do Not Disturb"
- Never driving impaired
"Driving is 100 percent a privilege. It is not a right," Gweedo McGee said.
Through her organization, the Gweedo Memorial Foundation, Gweedo McGee encourages communities to turn the "100 deadliest days" into the "100 safest days" of summer.
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