The 20th Annual Driving the Message Contest brings you three exciting categories, giving you more opportunities to showcase your creative talents. And – you know what that means – three different categories, three chances to win! Each category has a specific focus, so pick one (or two or three) and show us what you’ve got!
The contest opens November 1, 2026, and the entry deadline is February 14, 2027. Entries should focus on positive behaviors and not promote illegal activities.
CATEGORIES:
This year’s categories include:
TDS Program 25th Anniversary Commemorative Pin Design
Create a design that celebrates the 25 years of inspiring young drivers to be safe on the road. The design should be positive and capture the spirit of the program. Since pins are smaller in size, the design should also be easy to see and interpret. Simple can go a long way.
- First Place: $1,000 and a chance to have your design printed and distributed during the 2027-2028 TDS year.
- Second Place: $500
- Third Place: $250
“Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right” social media reel
Create a short reel around the tagline “Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right.” The main focus here should be that sometimes one risky driving behavior can lead to another, and that can make the risk level increase. Make sure to combine two risks in this reel. Mimic a current social media trend, along with social media-style content—fast cuts, filters, memes—to highlight making smart choices behind the wheel and in the car.
- First Place: $1,000
- Second Place: $500
- Third Place: $250
“Drive Nice, Look Twice” PSA video
It’s important to share the road with all road users. Being conscious of pedestrians, cyclists, and others on the road creates a safer environment for everybody. Drive home the message: Drive Nice, Look Twice, and show why driving safely around pedestrians is an important issue.
- First Place: $1,500, and your video will be re-filmed with an Emmy Award-winning producer for national broadcast.
- Second Place: $750
- Third Place: $500
Pick the category that fits your strengths or interests most:
- Love drawing or graphic design? Go for the Pin Design.
- Have a flair for viral content or social media humor? Try the “Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right” short video.
- Prefer storytelling or creating a narrative that influences behavior? Create the “Drive Nice, Look Twice” PSA.
Enter more than one category and flex multiple creative skills—all increasing your chances to make an impact and earn cash for your campus!
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Entry is open to all junior high and high school students within the contiguous 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 pin design entries or 1 video entry will earn All-Star Reward
- Enter as many times as you like.
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 screams, crashes, blood, and bodies (whether real or not) is strongly discouraged. (This includes animations, drawings or acting).
- 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.
- For information on copyright, go to http://www.copyright.com/learn/about-copyright/
- Send all questions to Andrea Chacon at [email protected] . Type CONTEST in the subject line. Please allow 3 days for a reply. Do not use this email for entry submission.
ENTRY RULES
- See additional category specifications.
- Entries must be time-stamped no later than 11:59 PM February 14, 2027, to be eligible for the Driving the Message Contest.
- Entry is open to junior high and high school students within the contiguous United States.
- Students may submit more than one entry, in more than one category.
- Entries should include only original artwork. Use of downloaded, AI-generated, copied, or printed graphics is not permissible and will be disqualified.
- Use of copyrighted material (such as copyrighted music, video clips, images, photos, or characters, or copyrighted logos and brands) is not permissible and will result in disqualification. This includes clothing, products, and vehicle manufacturers.
- 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.
- Entries that display dangerous or illegal activities will be disqualified. Closed courses, with appropriate safety precautions, are allowed – closed parking lots, private land with no traffic, and being in a vehicle while parked. This does mean no filming while in a moving vehicle.
- Do not add logos, names of students, social media handles, school names, or any other identifying information to your entry, visually or verbally. This includes identifying information on clothing or surroundings.
- Entry and release forms must be submitted with each entry. All required forms must be received by the contest deadline to be eligible for prizes.
- Any person(s) who appears in a video entry must complete a video/photo release form. Completed 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.
- 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 and the Youth Transportation Safety Program reserve the right to withdraw, terminate, suspend, cancel, or modify all or part of the contest at any time without notice.
- All decisions are final.
PIN DESIGN SPECS:
- Pin designs can be any shape, but no larger than 1.5” long and wide.
- Entries must be submitted electronically, in EPS, PDF, JPG or PNG format.
- Hand-drawn entries must be scanned and submitted electronically.
SOCIAL MEDIA REEL SPECS:
- Develop a social media reel that is 30-60 seconds long.
- Video entries must be submitted electronically.
- 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.
PSA VIDEO SPECS:
- Develop a video message that is 60-120 seconds long.
- Video entries must be submitted electronically.
- 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.
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/guardian. 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/
OR, complete and return the paper release form.
Step 4 Submit Your Entry:
Name your file in this format – Contest Category_TitleOfEntry_LastName_FirstInitial – and upload your entry to the DTM Entries Google Drive linked in the form below.
Past Winners: