CDOT and partners launch distracted driving video contest for high school students
News Release
Statewide — The Colorado Department of Transportation is launching a statewide video contest for high school students to create a public service announcement on distracted driving. Students are invited to create their own anti-distracted driving video for the chance to win money and be featured in CDOT’s awareness campaign. This effort is part of a grant CDOT received from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and General Motors to decrease distracted driving related fatalities and injuries.
All high school students residing in Colorado are eligible to enter the contest. Submissions will be accepted from Feb. 15 to April 10, 2023, through CDOT’s Distracted Driving website. The video concepts and production style are entirely up to the students and can be either live-action or animated, and students can work individually or in groups. All videos should be 30-90 seconds and reflect what the students think will convince Coloradans to stop driving distracted.
Young drivers in Colorado are increasingly at risk when behind the wheel. In 2022, there were 103 deadly crashes involving drivers 20 years old and younger in Colorado. This is a 37% increase from 2019 when there were 75 fatal crashes involving drivers in the same age group. With new technologies, phones, food, pets and fellow passengers all providing increasing distractions within the vehicle, this campaign aims to remind teens to stay safe and focus on the road when behind the wheel.
“Distracted driving is a dangerous habit that many drivers develop at a young age,” said Darrell Lingk, Highway Safety Office director at CDOT. “We hope this contest will spread the message far and wide about the dangers of distracted driving and motivate teens to think twice before reaching for their phones when behind the wheel.”
CDOT will announce the contest winners during Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April. Students will compete for $5,000 in prizes and the winning PSA will be featured as part of CDOT’s distracted driving educational campaign. Students are encouraged to get imaginative using interviews, music, art, animation and other creative resources to convey their message. For safety purposes, no portion of the video can include footage taken inside a moving vehicle.
