Immaculate Heart Academy Two-Time Winner of Statewide Safe Driving Competition
April 27, 2020NJM Insurance Group awards $2,500 to Bergen County high school
WEST TRENTON, NJ — NJM Insurance Group, one of the Mid-Atlantic's leading property and casualty insurers and teen driving safety advocates, is awarding a $2,500 check to Immaculate Heart Academy (IHA), the winner of the 2019–20 "Just Drive" online pledge competition. The award will go toward IHA's Driver Education Program.
NJM created the "Just Drive" campaign in 2017 to raise awareness about distracted driving, which is considered a national epidemic. This year's competition received more than 860 pledges from students at 14 high schools, along with their friends, family, and community members. Immaculate Heart Academy received the biggest response, with 538 pledges.
"Due to the pandemic, Immaculate Heart Academy's Traffic Safety Squad had to put most of the club's projects on hold," said Terry Skjold, IHA driver education teacher. "It was extra special to see our socially distant community united in this effort to promote safe driving by taking the online pledge. IHA is grateful to NJM for supporting the Just Drive Pledge and so many other driver safety programs."
Recognized as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, IHA is an all-female college preparatory high school in the Archdiocese of Newark. The school has established a strong record of promoting safe driving awareness. Its student-based Traffic Safety Squad participates in Hackensack University Medical Center's "High School Traffic Safety Challenge" seatbelt program, which encourages driver and passenger safety throughout the school year. Last year, IHA, along with four other New Jersey high schools, was recognized for Best Overall Seatbelt Usage.
"Congratulations to all the schools that participated. This year's competition was compromised by COVID-19. But even as schools shifted to online learning, student commitment to safe driving and gathering pledges continued," said Violet Marrero, NJM Consumer Safety director. "We applaud IHA staff and students for their outstanding efforts in organizing a community-wide commitment to Just Drive."
About NJM Insurance Group's Teen Driver Safety Program
NJM's nationally recognized, award-winning Teen Driver Safety Program is available at no cost to New Jersey and Pennsylvania high schools and covers topics such as distracted, fatigued, and impaired driving and Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws. The program was recognized in 2016 by the National Safety Council for its demonstrated results in reducing behaviors among teens that lead to crashes. To schedule a presentation or learn more, visit www.njm.com/teen-driver-safety.