Leading Auto Insurer Hires Veteran Educator to Promote Teen Driver Safety in Pennsylvania
October 23, 2018NJM Insurance Group announces appointment of Jeneen M. Callahan to deliver award‐winning Teen Driver Safety Program
WEST TRENTON, NJ — NJM Insurance Group (NJM), one of the Mid‐Atlantic Region's leading teen driver safety advocates and personal auto insurers, announced today that it has hired veteran educator, Jeneen M. Callahan, to lead the expansion of its award‐winning Teen Driver Safety Program into Pennsylvania. In her role, Callahan will lead the coordination and presentation of NJM's safety efforts in Pa., with a focus on "Share the Keys," a model parent/teen safe driving program, which has been proven to reduce the risk of teen crashes.
"NJM's legacy of promoting safety can be traced back to our founding more than 105 years ago, with a focus that has expanded from the workplaces we insure to the roadways that help get us around, said Tracy McManimon, NJM SVP & Chief Underwriting Officer. "We're thrilled to offer this program at no cost to high schools throughout Pennsylvania and are confident that Jeneen will build outstanding partnerships in the Pa. education community, which will help broaden its reach and maximize its impact."
Callahan joins NJM after more than 20 years in education, most recently in the Glassboro, New Jersey, School District. A graduate of East Stroudsburg University, Callahan has served as a health, physical and driver education teacher, as well as varsity field hockey coach. A mom herself, she understands the importance of involving parents in the teen driving process and making the roads safe for all drivers.
"Today's teen drivers are confronted with more distractions than ever before. Keeping them safe on the road and helping them develop responsible driving behaviors is a team effort," said Callahan. "'Share the Keys' offers support to parents and their teens as they become licensed drivers. I'm very excited to work with NJM and support its expansion of safety programming into Pennsylvania."
"Share the Keys" is a research‐based driver education program designed to provide parents and their teen drivers with the tools and resources they need to build and reinforce safe driving habits. The program is available at no cost to high schools through a partnership with The Pennsylvania DUI (PA DUI) Association. The announcement was made during a kickoff event with the Philadelphia 76ers during National Teen Driver Safety Week (Oct. 21–27, 2018), which highlights the importance of parents partnering with their teens to help develop safe driving habits behind the wheel.
In Pennsylvania, an average of 229 fatal teen driver crashes occur each year. Teens are the largest age group reported as distracted at the time of fatal crashes. NJM's Teen Driver Safety Program has been proven to effectively reduce teen driver crash risk through encouraging active parental involvement. In fact, according to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Center for Injury Research and Prevention, parents can reduce their teen's crash risk by as much as 50 percent when they set rules, offer support and monitor their teen's driving.
NJM's Teen Driver Safety Program was launched in honor of the Company's 100th anniversary in 2013. The complimentary program has reached more than 150,000 students in New Jersey and covers topics like distracted, fatigued and impaired driving, as well as Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws. In 2016, the program was recognized by the National Safety Council with its Teen Driver Safety Leadership Award. This coveted honor recognizes organizations that work to improve teen driver safety and save lives through dedicated community outreach and innovative educational programming.
For more information about NJM's Teen Driver Safety Program and to learn more about scheduling a presentation at your school, visit www.njm.com/teen‐driver‐safety.
About NJM Insurance Group
NJM is among the Mid‐Atlantic's largest property and casualty insurers. Founded in 1913, NJM's mission is to provide value‐based personal and commercial insurance solutions with the highest levels of service, integrity, and financial stewardship. The Company's enduring commitment to safety can be traced back to its earliest days, starting with improving conditions in the manufacturing facilities that were once prevalent in New Jersey, and expanding to keeping drivers safe on our roadways. More information is available at NJM.com.