Her teen son died in a car crash after homecoming. This York County mom keeps fighting.
By Ben Swenson | Correspondent
UPDATED: January 28, 2025 at 10:45 AM EST
ork County resident Tammy McGee continued her mission to save lives earlier this week as she testified in support of safe driving legislation before a House of Delegates subcommittee in Richmond.
McGee’s 16-year-old son, Conner Guido, was killed in a car crash after he left Tabb High School’s homecoming dance in October 2019. The two other teens in the vehicle also died at the scene, including the driver, who had a learner’s permit, but not a driver’s license, and was not old enough to legally be behind the wheel without supervision.
As the General Assembly sorts through some 2,600 legislative proposals for its 2025 regular session, McGee is working to advance bills that will prohibit adults from allowing illegal access to motor vehicles and urge all public school divisions to offer behind-the-wheel driver’s training for students.
Since losing her son, McGee has sought to improve highway safety and awareness among teens and their families. She created the Gweedo Memorial Foundation to help educate teen drivers and created an anonymous internet tipline, “If You See Something Say Something.org,” to report troubling behavior. She has been nationally honored by the Governors Highway Safety Association for her work.
In previous years, two laws were enacted in Virginia with the help of McGee’s advocacy. A 2021 law mandated that public schools require all student drivers applying to park on school property to show proof that they are legally allowed to drive. The following year, legislators passed a law requiring parents and their teen drivers to attend a 90-minute safe driving course.
McGee hopes legislators will continue the momentum this year. Two identical bills, House Bill 1549 and Senate Bill 750, add a provision to an existing state law that prohibits people from allowing the use of their vehicle by someone whose license has been suspended or revoked. The proposed addition would make it a Class 1 misdemeanor to authorize the use of one’s vehicle by a minor who only holds a learner’s permit and not a valid, unrestricted driver’s license.
Current law as written has been interpreted differently by separate commonwealth’s attorneys throughout the state, according to McGee, and this bill offers clarity. She spoke in support of the legislation in Richmond on Tuesday.
“If you entrust a vehicle to a minor and you know they don’t have valid driver’s license, you will be held accountable,” McGee said.
Del. Chad Green, R-Seaford, sponsored the House version of the bill and was on the York County Board of Supervisors in 2019 when the fatal accident involving McGee’s son occurred. He remembers how the tragedy shook the community and said he believes this legislation will accomplish important goals.
“Hopefully this law will prevent future tragedies, raise awareness, hold adults accountable and save lives,” Green said.
Sen. J.D. “Danny” Diggs, R-York, has sponsored the Virginia Senate’s version of the bill. Diggs was sheriff of York County at the time of the teens’ death. Diggs believes that the law will have the power to prevent needless heartache.
“We don’t want to have to punish people,” Diggs said. “I hope this law is enough of a deterrent.”
Another safe driving law wending its way through the General Assembly is House Bill 2213, which strongly encourages local school divisions to offer behind-the-wheel instruction to all students as part of their driver’s education curriculum.
Thirty-six of Virginia’s 135 public school divisions offer no behind-the-wheel instruction at all, according to McGee, and she believes this is a matter of both safety and fairness. Students who do not have access to this instruction through their public schools must contract private driving schools, which cost hundreds of dollars.
“We want all students to be able to access high-quality instruction overseen by the Virginia Department of Education,” McGee said. “Third-party driving schools aren’t going away. Families will still be able to use them if that’s their choice, but this is going to result in higher quality instruction.”
Del. Delores McQuinn, D-Henrico, was the chief sponsor of the legislation.
HB 2213 passed the House Education Committee on Wednesday and will be considered by the full House of Delegates prior to moving to the Senate for consideration. If both chambers approve the legislation, it must then be signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
HB 1549 and SB 750 will be considered in their respective chambers and, if approved, be sent directly as a single bill to the governor’s desk for his signature.
Ben Swenson, ben.swenson05@gmail.com
Originally Published: January 24, 2025 at 2:44 PM EST
