Use your voice and save a life through a video or poster and win some $$$ for your school!

We are now accepting entries into the video and poster contest from Nebraska Teens in the Driver Seat program schools.

• California, Georgia and Texas Schools>> go here for information!

Prizes!

A $500 award will be given, payable to the entrant’s school, in both the video and poster categories.

The judges reserve the right to limit awards in any category.

Rules and Regulations!

• Video /PSA entries must be postmarked by January 31, 2014 February 12, 2014, to be eligible for the Texas Driving the Message contest.
• Poster entries must be postmarked or email time-stamped no later than January 31, 2014 February 12, 2014 to be eligible for the Texas Driving the Message contest.
• Entry is open to Teens in the Driver Seat program high schools in Nebraska.
• Entries must address the issue of driving safety by focusing on one or more of the top five risks teens face behind the wheel or as a young passenger – nighttime/drowsy driving, speeding, distractions, seat belts, and/or impaired driving.
• Entries that display a dangerous or illegal activity 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, being in a vehicle, while parked. Be safe, be smart.
• Entries submitted with evidence of illegal use of copyrighted material will not be considered for judging. The use of company logos and other product names (for cars, beverages, etc.) is also prohibited. Use of required logos is acceptable.
• You may submit more than one entry.
• You may enter both the poster and video categories.
• Each student who submits an entry (poster or video) must submit an entry form. If you are part of a group/class submission, each student involved must have an entry form. Complete, signed entry forms must accompany entries.
• All person(s) who appear in video and/or poster entry must complete a video/photo release form. Complete, signed video/photo release forms must accompany entry.
• Judging will be based upon originality, creativity, and by how well you follow the messages that are central to the Teens in the Driver Seat® program.
• Entry must follow specs listed below.
• Up to one award will be given, payable to the school the student attends, in both the poster and video categories. Winners in each division will receive:
  $500
• All entries become property of the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) and all or part of your entry can be used to advance and support the Teens in the Driver Seat 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.
• Teens in the Driver Seat® reserves the right to change any of these rules.
• All decisions are final.

VIDEO SPECS

• Develop a video message that is no more than :28 seconds long (the length needed to air commercials that you see on television). Teens in the Driver Seat®, Cornhusker Motor Club Foundation and Nebraska Safety Council logos will be added to winning videos before final release.
• The video must address the issue of driving safety by focusing on one or more of the top five risks teens face behind the wheel or as a young passenger – nighttime/drowsy driving, speeding, distractions, seat belts, and/or impaired driving.
• The video should be designed to be aired primarily on television.
• Do not place scrolls, credits, or additional information within the final video.
• Video should not include any copyrighted material (such as copyrighted music, video clips, or copyrighted logos and brands).
• Final entries should be high quality, .avi is preferred.
• Additional specs: 852 x 480, 192kbps MPEG audio, 29fps and 1640kbps video is ideal.
• Please review final entry for video and sound quality before entry.
• Submit your video entry on a DVD, CD, or flash drive to the address given above. Do not email video files.
• Winners in the video category will need to provide original video source files. These files may be sent with entry.

POSTER SPECS

• Your poster can be any size, up to 11-by-17 inches.
• The poster must address the issue of driving safety by focusing on one or more of the top five risks teens face behind the wheel or as a young passenger – nighttime/drowsy driving, speeding, distractions, seat belts, and/or impaired driving.
• Poster should not include any copyrighted material (such as copyrighted images, photos or characters).
• Posters must be submitted electronically, in PDF or JPG format.
• Emailed posters may be up to 5Mb, in PDF or JPG format, and ready to print. All entry forms and release forms must be emailed with poster file.
• Mailed poster files may be larger in file size, but must still be in PDF or JPG format and ready to print. No mailed posters will be accepted.
• Hand-drawn posters must be scanned and submitted electronically by email or mail, in PDF or JPG format, and ready to print. No mailed posters will be accepted.
• Posters will be printed, in color, for judging on 11×17 paper, at the largest. Teens in the Driver Seat is not responsible for quality of print. Electronic files will be printed as is.
• Winners in poster category will be required to provide original, high resolution electronic source files (300 dpi), with layers and fonts. We can accept Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign files. These files may be submitted with entry, if desired, but are not required with submission.
• Winning posters will be published for printing on 11-by-17 inch and smaller formats.

Tips and Information!

• Keep the message focus about teens and for teens. Always think about your end audience. We need your voice to spread the message about safe driving.
• Prize money is payable to entrant’s school, not the individual(s).
• Please review video and/or poster specs below before submitting entry.
• Submit entries in highest quality possible. Begin with high quality to end with high quality. This means low-quality phone pictures and video are not the best material to start with.
• Gruesome or gory entries do not fare well in judging and are not encouraged.
• Winning videos and posters will be available for downloading and sharing. Please keep this in mind when creating.
• For more information on copyright, go to http://www.copyright.com/viewPage.do?pageCode=cr10-n.
• Send all questions to Stacey Tisdale at s-tisdale@tamu.edu. Type CONTEST in the subject line. Do not use this email for entry submission. Please allow 3 days for reply.

How to Submit!

• Entries must be accompanied with an an entry form from individual or each person, if a group entry>> Driving the Message contest entry form AND a video/photo release form from each person shown in the video and/or poster>> Video/photo release form
• Videos must be mailed on DVD, CD or flash drive. Do not email video entries.
• Posters may be mailed on DVD, CD, or flash drive or emailed to TDSWebmaster@ttimail.tamu.edu, subject line CONTEST.
• Emails and mailed entries must be date-stamped no later than January 31, 2014 February 12, 2014.
• All entries from a school may be mailed together. Please make sure forms are clearly marked with corresponding entries.
• Mail entries to this address:

Teens in the Driver Seat Contest
Texas A&M Transportation Institute
1100 NW Loop 410
Suite 400
San Antonio, TX 78213

VIDEO ENTRY CHECKLIST

• Video file on DVD, CD or flash drive.
• Signed video/photo release form for all persons who appear in the video, if applicable.
• Entry forms with signatures. If video is a group entry, each person must complete an entry form.
• Packaging post-marked no later than January 31, 2014 February 12, 2014

POSTER ENTRY CHECKLIST

• Poster file in PDF or JPG format.
• Entry form with signature. If poster is a group entry, each person must complete an entry form.
• Signed video/photo release form for all persons who appear on poster, if applicable.
• Packaging post-marked or email time-stamped no later than January 31, 2014 February 12, 2014
• All emailed poster entries must include scanned copies of entry forms and photo/video release forms within email.

What Happens After You Enter?

• Once the contest has closed, judging is completed by a panel of program sponsors, who independently review each entry. No school or student names are displayed with the entry. Judging is based on originality, creativity, and how well the safety message is portrayed.
• If your entry wins a place, you and your teacher will be contacted immediately after judging.
• You will need to submit paperwork (sent via email upon notification of winning) as soon as possible to claim prizes.
• Winners will be asked to submit original source files, if they were not submitted upon entry, as soon as possible.