Entries Open for 6th Annual “DRIVE2LIFE” PSA Contest; Teens Invited to Submit Ideas on Preventing Distracted Walking

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / October 1, 2015 / The National Road Safety Foundation, with Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, is looking for ideas from teens to help educate their peers and others about the risks of walking while using a mobile device. Entries are now open for the 6th annual Drive2Life PSA Contest, under the theme “Distracted Walking = Dangerous Walking.”

The winner receives $1,000 and a trip to New York to work with an Emmy Award-winning TV director to turn the idea into a public service message that will be broadcast nationwide next May during Global Youth Traffic Safety Month. Two runners-up in each grade category (grades 6–8, 9–12) will each receive $500.

“We know the risks of distracted driving, but many of those same dangers apply to pedestrians as well,” said Michelle Anderson of The National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF), a non-profit group that creates driver safety programs distributed free to schools, police and traffic safety advocates. “Every year, thousands of young people get unexpected trips to the ER because of injuries from walking distracted. When the interaction is with a motor vehicle, injuries are often serious or even deadly. More than 60 children are hit by cars every day.”

“With the continuing popularity of mobile devices, especially among young people, distracted walking is becoming a more serious issue, which is why we are encouraging young people to help us get the word out to their peers,” Anderson said.

Students in grades 6–12 are invited to submit a concept for a 30-second PSA to help prevent distracted walking. Ideas may be in the form of scripts or storyboards. No videos or group entries will be accepted. More information, entry form and complete rules are at www.nrsf.org/teenlane or www.scholastic.com/Drive2Life. Entry deadline is Feb. 5, 2016.

The winning PSA will be broadcast in May 2016 on 220 TV stations on the nationally-syndicated program “Teen Kids News.” It will also receive widespread airings on local TV stations and online, and the winner will be profiled in Scholastic Classroom Magazines, reaching nearly 5 million students and 50,000 teachers.

Last year, Michigan high school senior Julia Huuki won from among 900 entrants. Her idea, “Would you ever?” shows people looking down at their cell phones as they step into an open manhole, bump into another person, and cross the street in front of a moving vehicle. As we hear the horn honk and brakes screech, words on screen say “Smart phones can make you do stupid things. Look up! You’re the only one responsible for your own safety.”

For more than 50 years, The National Road Safety Foundation has created free driver education programs on distracted driving, speed and aggression, drinking and driving, and drowsy driving. For more information or to download free programs, visit www.nrsf.org or www.teenlane.org.

Contact: David Reich, david@reichcommunications.com, 212 573-6000

SOURCE: The National Road Safety Foundation

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