Annual Driving the Message Contest

This year’s contest continues the new theme of multiple categories, giving you more opportunities to showcase your creative talents. Three different categories mean three chances to win! Each category has a specific risk focus, so pick one (or two or three) and show us what you’ve got!

2025 Winners!

Category 1: Seat Belt Safety Posters

First Place Winner – Anisha R. Frisco ISD Career and Technology Education Center Frisco, TX	Second Place Winner – Ashlee P. Frisco ISD Career and Technology Education Center Frisco, TX	Third Place Winner – Yuliana V Young Women’s Leadership Academy Fort Worth, TX
Honorable Mention – Charlie B. Transmountain Early College High School El Paso, TX	Honorable Mention – Gabriel J. Frisco ISD Career and Technology Education Center Frisco, TX	Honorable Mention – Ryleigh C. Southeastern High School South Charleston, OH
	Teen Choice – Hazel E. Young Women’s Leadership Academy – Middle School Fort Worth, TX

Category 2: Speeding Prevention Posters

First Place Winner – Avril L. Young Women’s Leadership Academy Fort Worth, TX	Second Place Winner – Brianna J. Taft High School San Antonio, TX	Third Place Winner – Conley K. Frisco ISD Career and Technology Education Center Frisco, TX
Honorable Mention – Aubrie G. Young Women’s Leadership Academy Fort Worth, TX	Honorable Mention – Ryleigh C. Southeastern High School South Charleston, OH	Honorable Mention – Daniel W. Taft High School San Antonio, TX

Category 3: Share the Road Videos

First Place Winner – Let’s Share It Together Loganville High School, Loganville, GA	Second Place Winner – Moving Forward Loganville High School, Loganville, GA
Third Place Winner – Sights and Sounds of the Road Amherst Steele High School, Amherst, OH	Honorable Mention – Carpool Texas Transmountain Early College High School, El Paso, TX
Honorable Mention – Illegal…Legal! Amherst Steele High School, Amherst, OH

HIGHLIGHTS:

This year’s categories include:
- Seat Belt Safety posters
- Speeding Prevention posters
- Share the Road videos
Enter as many times as you like
Entry is open to all junior high and high school students in the United States
Prize money is payable to the school (sorry, we’re not allowed to award these funds to students)
Program schools that submit at least 3 poster entries or 1 video entry will earn All-Star Reward credit.

HELPFUL HINTS:

We are looking for positive safety messaging focused on teens – address what happens when you do the right thing, change risky habits, or convince a friend to be safe.
Fear-based messaging such as crashes, blood, and bodies is strongly discouraged. Entries that display illegal or dangerous activities such as a video showing teens driving on the street while texting or not wearing a seat belt will be disqualified. Closed courses, with appropriate safety precautions, are allowed – closed parking lots, private land with no traffic, or being in a vehicle while parked.
Avoid using statistics to keep your message from becoming dated too quickly.
Submit entries in the highest quality possible. Begin with high quality and end with high quality. Avoid low-quality phone pictures and videos.
For information on copyright, go to http://www.copyright.com/learn/about-copyright/
Send all questions to Christy Thomas at [email protected]. Type CONTEST in the subject line. Please allow 3 days for a reply. Do not use this email for entry submission.

RULES

Entries must be time-stamped no later than 11:59 PM February 14, 2025, to be eligible for the Driving the Message Contest.
Entry is open to junior high and high school students in the United States.
Students may submit more than one entry.
Entries must address one of the three categories: Seat Belt Safety, Speeding Prevention, or Share the Road
Entries that display dangerous or illegal activities will be disqualified, i.e. a video showing teens driving on a street while texting or not wearing a seat belt. Closed courses, with appropriate safety precautions, are allowed – closed parking lots, private land with no traffic, and being in a vehicle while parked.
Entries submitted with evidence of illegal use of copyrighted material will be disqualified. The use of company logos and other product names (for cars, beverages, etc.) is also prohibited.
All required forms must be received by the contest deadline to be eligible for prizes.
Any person(s) whose photo appears in a poster entry must complete a video/photo release form. Complete signed video/photo release forms must accompany entry.
Judging is based on originality, creativity, and how well you follow the stated theme and messaging central to the Teens in the Driver Seat® program.
Software or online programs may be used to assemble/edit your entry, however, at least 90% of your entry must be generated by your own creativity and concept.
Awards are made payable to the school the student attends, in all categories.
All entries become the property of the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) and all or part of your entry can be used to advance and support the Youth Transportation Safety Program or the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.
The Texas A&M Transportation Institute is not responsible for lost, damaged, misdirected, or delayed entries.
The Texas A&M Transportation Institute reserves the right to withdraw, terminate, suspend, cancel, or modify all or part of the contest at any time without notice.
The Youth Transportation Safety Program reserves the right to change any of these rules and/or prizes.
All decisions are final.

POSTER SPECS

Posters can be any size, up to 11-by-17 inches.
Do not add logos, names of students, social media handles, or school names to your entry.
Posters must address the current year’s risk topics.
Posters should not include any copyrighted material (such as copyrighted images, photos or characters).
Poster graphics must be original work. Posters that include downloaded, copied or printed graphics from other sources will be disqualified.
Posters must be submitted electronically, in PDF or JPG format.
Hand-drawn posters must be scanned and submitted electronically.
Entry and release forms must be submitted with each entry.
Posters will be printed or electronically displayed, in color, for judging. The Youth Transportation Safety Program is not responsible for the quality of print. Electronic files will be printed as received.

VIDEO SPECS

Develop a video message that is 60-120 seconds long.
Do not add logos, names of students, social media handles, or school names to your entry.
Videos must address the current year’s theme to be eligible for prizes.
Do not include any copyrighted material (such as copyrighted music, video clips, or copyrighted logos and brands).
High-quality formats are preferred, .avi, .mov, .mp4, and similar formats are all accepted.
Additional specs, 852 x 480, 1280 x 720, 1920 x 1080, 192kpbs MPEG audio, 29fps and 1640kbps video is ideal.
Video entries must be submitted electronically.

HOW TO SUBMIT

Step 1 Entry Form:

Complete the ENTRY FORM below for each entry.

Step 2 Release Form:

Each student involved in the production of the entry must submit a Driving the Message release form. If you are under 18 years of age, please send this page URL to your parent or guardian to complete. You may not sign in place of your parent. https://www.t-driver.com/driving-the-message-release-form/

OR, complete and return the paper release form.

Step 3 Release Form for Others:

Anyone who appears in the entry but is NOT involved in its production must submit a Photo and Video Release Form. If the person is under 18 years of age, their parent or guardian must complete the form. They may not sign in place of their parent/guardian. https://www.t-driver.com/releaseform/