New bill aims to hold parents of unlicensed teen drivers accountable
Published: Dec. 11, 2024 at 9:01 PM EST|Updated: Dec. 11, 2024 at 11:20 PM EST
RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - It’s a call no parent ever wants to get.
“When we got the call, it was Conner’s girlfriend, and she’s like ‘Mrs. Tammy, there’s been an accident.' And I knew at that moment my son was dead,” said Tammy McGee.
Tammy McGee emotionally describes the moments she learned of her son’s death. Connor Guido died alongside his 2 friends in a car crash in York County back in 2019.
Reports say the car was going 30 miles over the posted speed limit; the driver lost control, sending the vehicle off-road and crashing into a tree.
The person behind the wheel was unlicensed and just 16 years old.
“So when we rushed to the crash site, it was like a scene out of the movies. It was horrific,” McGee said. “There were lights and ambulances and the yellow caution tape, and I immediately jumped from the car and ran to get to my baby.”
“I was chairman of the Board of Supervisors when this tragedy happened,” said Delegate Chad Green.
McGee is teaming up with Delegate Chad Green to introduce a new law that will hold parents who allow their teens to drive without a license accountable.
It’s not McGee’s first time pushing for changes at the state level.
Because of her, Conner’s law aimed to help fight teen distracted driving passed in 2023.
Now, House Bill 1549 is heading to the 2025 General Assembly Session.
“I’ve already spoken to delegates on both sides of the aisle.” Delegate Green said, “I believe it will have bipartisan support.
McGee tells me the current law in place is written in a way where the parents of the teen driver responsible for the crash that killed the teens could not be held responsible.
HB 1549 aims to remove those loopholes, making the offense a class 1 misdemeanor. If found guilty, parents or guardians could spend up to a year in jail and up to a $2,500 fine.
“If you know that you’re letting your teenager drive each and every day unlicensed, that’s a crime, and you should be held accountable,” McGee said.
McGee also has a website that allows teenagers to anonymously report any dangerous or suspicious behaviors they see.