The Florida Sheriffs Association (FSA) is pleased to announce that State Farm has generously granted $75,000 to the Teen Driver Challenge, an educational course that provides training to teenage drivers. The program plays a vital contribution in protecting Florida’s teen drivers and everyone else on the roadway. State Farm has granted a total of $985,000 to the program since 2011.

“We want to express our appreciation to State Farm for their commitment to fostering responsible driving habits among young individuals,” said Florida Sheriffs Association President and Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper. “State Farm’s strategic partnership is instrumental in our efforts to empower more young drivers and amplify the positive influence of the Teen Driver Challenge.”

At the request of Florida’s Sheriffs, the Teen Driver Challenge was created in 2007 to lower the high crash and fatality rate of young drivers. It’s the largest commercial driving school in Florida and is offered to teens at no charge. The cost to run this program is covered by grants from State Farm and contributions from local sheriffs’ offices. Instructors are certified law enforcement officers with accreditations from the State of Florida Division of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, under the Florida Sheriffs Association’s State of Florida Commercial Driving School License. The program is currently available in more than 42 counties and coming to additional ones soon. 

“By learning from certified law enforcement officers, student drivers not only gain essential driving skills, but also benefit from the expertise and insights of those who prioritize safety on a professional level,” said Jose Soto, State Farm Corporate Responsibility Analyst. “ That is one of the main reasons State Farm has been a proud supporter of the Florida Sheriffs Association Teen Driver Challenge for the past 13 years.” 

The importance of the Teen Driver Challenge is supported by statistics. According to the Center for Disease Control, teens are involved in three times as many fatality crashes as other drivers. Vehicle accidents are the leading cause of these fatality crashes. The Teen Driver Challenge aims to lower this rate by empowering teens with safe driving knowledge and practices. More than 2,000 students successfully complete the challenge in Florida each year. 

For more information on the Teen Driver Challenge, visit www.teendriverchallenge.com. Remember to like the Teen Driver Challenge page on Facebook and follow them on Instagram. To register for the program or find class offerings in your area, please contact your local Sheriff’s Office. Additionally, a video about the program can be found here. 
 

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About Florida Sheriffs Association
The Florida Sheriffs Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation made up of the Sheriffs of Florida, approximately 3,000 business leaders and 100,000 citizens throughout the state. Founded in 1893, FSA has steadfastly served the citizens of Florida by supporting the needs of the state’s law enforcement community. Through the Florida Sheriffs Association, Sheriffs are given a forum to address lawmakers to push for positive changes in Florida’s public safety arena. FSA also provides Sheriffs’ Offices much-needed programs such as affordable training, special task forces and legislative and legal services. Dedicated to the prevention of juvenile delinquency and the development of lawful, productive citizens, FSA has established and funded the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches with facilities throughout the state to help restore hope, fulfill dreams, and prepare boys and girls for the future. It has grown to be one of the largest and most successful state law enforcement associations in the nation. For more information on the Florida Sheriffs Association, visit www.flsheriffs.org.

About State Farm®
For over 100 years, the mission of State Farm has been to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its more than 19,400 agents and 67,000 employees serve over 91 million policies and accounts – including auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies and financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 44 on the 2023 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit www.statefarm.com.