TEEN PSA CONTEST ENCOURAGES PASSENGERS TO SPEAK UP WHEN IN A VEHICLE BEING DRIVEN UNSAFELY

National Road Safety Foundation's Drive2Life PSA Contest invites teens to create
video message about passengers speaking up for safe driving

NEW YORK, Jan. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Traffic safety experts have recently come to recognize the power passengers have when they speak up when in a vehicle being driven unsafely, which is why the theme of this year's Drive2Life PSA Contest is "passengers SPEAK UP."

The contest, sponsored by the National Road Safety Foundation, invites teens nationwide to submit their ideas for a 30-second TV public service announcement that encourages passengers to speak up when in a vehicle being driven dangerously.  The contest opens officially tomorrow, and all entries must be received by March 21, 2023.

The winner will receive $2,000 prize and a chance to work with an Emmy Award-winning producer to turn his or her idea into a PSA that will air nationwide on more than 170 TV stations on the nationally-syndicated program "Teen Kids News" next May during Global Youth Traffic Safety Month. In addition, two runners-up in each grade category (grades 6?8, 9?12) will each receive $500.  The teachers of the winner and runners-up will each receive a $100 gift card.

More than 24,000 passengers died in traffic crashes in 2019 -- 62 percent of total traffic fatalities nationwide, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  

"Many of those lives might have been saved had a passenger in the car insisted that the driver slow down, stop texting or, if impaired, not get behind the wheel in the first place," said Michelle Anderson of the National Road Safety Foundation.  "We look forward to seeing creative messages from young people that encourage passengers of all ages to speak up." 

The contest is conducted in partnership with Young Minds Inspired (YMI), the nation's leading provider of free educational outreach programs through its YMI Educator Network, reaching more than 2 million teachers at every public, private, and parochial school in the nation.  YMI has developed free curriculum materials for use by teachers and parents to talk with teens about how to speak up for safety.

_{For information, entry form, prize details and last year's winning video, visit www.nrsf.org/contests/drive2life.  No videos or group entries will be accepted.} 

The National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF), a non-profit organization, has for 60 years created driver education and safe driving programs for free distribution to teachers, police, traffic safety agencies, youth advocacy groups and others.  NRSF has programs on distracted driving, speed and aggression, impaired driving, drowsy driving and other traffic safety issues.  NRSF also sponsors national contests for teens in partnership with SADD and regional contests partnering with auto shows in Chicago and Detroit.  Free materials and videos are at  www.nrsf.org

Media Contact:      David Reich
                              (914) 325-9997
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SOURCE The National Road Safety Foundation