Yorktown Mom Working to Establish Safe Driving Laws in Late Son’s Name
By Megan Roche December 26, 2024
Guido’s son, Conner, was killed in a car accident in 2019. Traveling to a supervised after party from the Tabb High School homecoming dance, the driver of the vehicle took a sharp turn at 75 miles per hour. The car left the roadway and hit a tree, where Conner was instantly killed.
Since losing her son, Guido has been working with local and state officials to bring awareness to Conner’s Law. Originally passed in April 2021, the law states that all driver education programs must include a lesson on the dangers of distracted driving.
The law also mandates a student must submit a standard application developed by the Department of Education and show evidence that they possess a valid driver’s license or privilege card before being afforded a parking spot on high school property.
“I’m fighting to get these things passed because what happened to Conner could have been prevented. We need to keep our kids safe,” Guido says.
The second bill in Conner’s name, passed in 2022, enforces a requirement by the Board of Education that parents and students must to attend a 90 minute parent/student class as part of the driver’s education program. Prior to the bill being passed, the 90-minute class was only required in Northern Virginia.
In January 2025, a third potential law in Conner’s name will be presented to the state legislature. The proposed law states that a minor who has no operator’s license or who has a learner’s permit but operates a motor vehicle in violation of any provision shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
“In our case, the parents knew that the driver was driving without a license, but he had not been convicted of a similar offense. The whole intent here is to have someone who knows that somebody doesn’t have an operator’s license. This really helps solidify accountability,” Guido shared.
Also to help keep her son’s memory alive, Guido helps run the Keeper’s Cup Memorial Soccer Tournament each March. The tourney gives local high schools a chance to vie for a trophy, but also exposes them to various organizations around the area that help bring awareness to distracted driving.
Between the soccer tournament and the laws in Conner’s name, Tammy simply wants to make a difference.
“I am no attorney, I am no politician, but through the conferences and all the different places that I go and meeting all the different people I meet with, you start hearing things that didn’t really make any sense. I’d ask friends and they would tell me what certain laws were and I’d just think about how wrong it was. I have a lot of people who are supporting our initiatives and are helping to guide us through this path. Ultimately, I want to make sure that what happened to Conner never happens to another family,” Guido said.
Tammy is also currently working on a fourth bill that will be announced later in 2025.
Learn more about the proposed legislation here.
To learn more about Conner and all of Tammy’s efforts, visit connergweedo.com.