NEW KENT, Va— Every school year, Tammy Guido McGee thinks about her son Connor. He was 16 years old when he died in a car crash in 2019. Now, she is turning that grief into action one high school parking lot at a time.
"My fight is for Connor. I am Connor's voice now after losing him in a single car crash in 2019," Guido McGee said.
Connor was a passenger in a car full of teenagers. Investigators later learned the driver was unlicensed and speeding.
"All three boys' lives were gone in the blink of an eye, my baby was gone over something that was preventable, and that's what fuels me," Guido McGee said.
Guido McGee's mission is to reach teenagers where they are — in school parking lots. She is placing safety signs at high schools across Virginia carrying simple reminders for student drivers, including messages like "food down, focus up," "keys down," "don't drive while you're drinking," and "no license, no driving."
"We need to do parking lots. We need to get to these teenagers in their environment when they're coming and leaving school," Guido McGee said.
Seven signs were recently placed outside John Marshall High School alongside the school's assistant principal, Camille Calloway.
"We're going to have the signs where they enter the building. We're going to have four signs over here, and then three signs right over there. So they'll be visible every day to any students," Calloway said.
About 60 Virginia high schools have received signs so far, with the goal of eventually reaching every high school in the state. Guido McGee's foundation partnered with the Virginia DMV to encourage schools to get involved through a social media challenge tied to the signs, with a $250 prize going toward students' homecoming. The signs also include QR codes where students can learn more safe driving tips.
Guido McGee knows the signs cannot guarantee every teenager will make the right choice — but she hopes they will at least spark a conversation.
"All we have to do is impact one person, right? All it takes one person is another mother who's not me," Guido McGee said.
Tammy's foundation is also encouraging schools to get involved through a social media challenge tied to the signs, with a $250 prize going toward an after-homecoming party. The signs include a QR code where students can learn more about Connor's story and the safe-driving initiative.Tammy's foundation is also encouraging schools to get involved through a social media challenge tied to the signs, with a $250 prize going toward an after-homecoming party.
