State Farm Insurance and Kailee Mills Foundation Partner to Save Lives at Houston ISD

The Kailee Mills Foundation, leading advocate for seat belt safety awareness, is proud to announce their partnership with State Farm Insurance that provides Seat Belt Safety Road Signs across Houston ISD parking lot exits.

Fatalities and injuries continue to rise on our Houston roads as non-seat belt use continues to be an issue, especially for teens. These startling statistics drive the daily mission of the Kailee Mills Foundation:

• Teens have the highest rate of non- seat belt safety use in the United States and are 3x more likely to die in a vehicle crash than any other age group. (IIHS)
• 1 in 10 people admit they do not wear their seat belts. (Value Penguin)
• From 2020 to 2021 Houston traffic crashes increased by 14% and fatalities increased by 20% (City of Houston VISION ZERO Annual Report)
• In 2022 there were 560 traffic deaths across Harris County. That is 560 too many.  (TXDOT)

“State Farm has a long history of advocating auto safety,” said Felicia Hutchins, Corporate Responsibility for State Farm Insurance. “Seat belt usage is a key factor in keeping drivers and passengers safe. A crash can happen anytime, anywhere. Whether you’re going around the corner or are practicing driving on the highway, your seat belt should always be worn. The same for your passengers.”

The Kailee Mills Foundation Seat Belt Safety Road Signs are installed at parking lot exits underneath the stop signs and serve as a continual reminder to “Buckle Up Someone Loves You” every ride every time. The impact of this permanent parking lot exit messaging is reinforced with staff, teachers, parents, students, and visitors for years to come.

Briana McCulloch shared, “My 16-year-old niece Kailee took her seat belt off for just a second and as a result of letting her guard down for this brief moment in time, our lives will never be the same and we miss her every day. Our personal story drives the Kailee Mills Foundation mission, and we are proud to align with a partner organization with shared values like State Farm Insurance. Together we will save lives.”

The Kailee Mills Foundation, leading advocate for seat belt safety awareness, is proud to announce an impactful partnership with State Farm Insurance, with a generous contribution of $75,000 to advance its life-saving seat belt safety programming and education across Texas. This funding supports a comprehensive effort to reduce preventable injury and death due to non-seat belt use, particularly among young drivers and passengers.

The Kailee Mills Foundation leads national efforts in seat belt safety awareness, youth education, and family assistance following traffic tragedies. This funding from State Farm directly fuels school presentations, student engagement campaigns, and permanent safety signage to shift behavior and create lasting community change.

The foundation’s mission is rooted in the personal story of 16-year-old Kailee Mills, who tragically lost her life after removing her seat belt for just a moment. Her story drives the foundation’s work to reach students, schools, and communities before tragedy strikes.

“Seat belt safety has long been a cornerstone of the commitment State Farm has to protecting drivers and passengers,” says Felicia Hutchins, Corporate Responsibility Analyst for State Farm. “As an early advocate, State Farm equipped its own claims employees with seat belts in 1955 and played a key role in founding the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Our advocacy contributed to landmark legislation requiring mandatory safety restraints in all vehicles, a move upheld by the Supreme Court in 1983. Partnering with Kailee Mills Foundation only helps continue the efforts to educate Texans on the importance of seat belt safety.”

In Texas alone, hundreds of lives are lost each year due to unrestrained vehicle occupants. Teens remain one of the highest-risk groups. Through the continued partnership with State Farm, the Kailee Mills Foundation will expand its ability to reach more schools, increase seat belt usage rates, and provide lasting reminders like their iconic “Buckle Up Someone Loves You” road signs installed at school exits.

Together, the Kailee Mills Foundation and State Farm Insurance are committed to creating safer roads, empowered youth, and informed communities.

We buckle up for Kailee. Who do YOU buckle up for? We have always been told to protect ourselves by wearing a seat belt. We are also reminded that wearing a seat belt is the law, and if we don’t we will get a ticket. But now we want to ask you…who is waiting for you to come home? Who needs you? Who loves you?

If you don’t want to wear a seat belt for yourself, or a ticket isn’t a good enough reason, do it for THEM. Do it for everyone who loves you, needs you, and is expecting you to come home. Your life is precious. Your life matters to someone.

So we want to hear from you! Take the #BuckleUpChallenge – it’s simple! See the steps below:

The #BuckleUpChallenge

• Print this BUCKLE UP CHALLENGE sign, create your own, or use a blank piece of paper.
• Write the name/s of who you buckle up for.
• Take a photo or video with the sign.
• Post it on social media & tag Kailee Mills Foundation.
• Caption “I buckle up for___, who do YOU buckle up for? Go to kaileemillsfoundation.org/whodoyoubuckleupfor to learn more and to print the sign!”
• Tag your friends challenging them to do the #BuckleUpChallenge

Don’t have social media? Email us your photo or video at [email protected]!

Print the buckle up challenge sign by clicking HERE!

Don’t have a printer? Click on the “Get your FREE decals” button and complete the form to receive decals + your Buckle Up Challenge sign!