News Releases

NJM Insurance Group Announces Winners of Connecticut "Just Drive" PSA and Social Media Campaign Contests

May 24, 2022

Contest awards totaling $28,000 presented to winning schools during Global Youth Traffic Safety Month

WEST TRENTON, NJ — NJM Insurance Group (NJM), in partnership with Impact Teen Drivers (ITD), is awarding a total of $28,000 to the winning Connecticut high schools of the second annual "Just Drive" public service announcement (PSA) and social media campaign video contests.

Students representing high schools in Connecticut created 30-second video PSAs and developed social media campaigns highlighting the dangers of distracted driving. According to the National Safety Council, car crashes are the number one cause of preventable deaths for teens.

The three winning PSA videos are:

  • First Place: Eric Owen Carson of Cheshire Academy (Cheshire, CT) won $5,000 for the PSA "Eyes on the Road," which highlighted the dangers of sending and reading text messages while driving.

  • Second Place: Matthew Sinofsky of Suffield High School (West Suffield, CT) won $2,500 for the PSA "Why Would You?," which asked why you would text while driving when you wouldn't consider texting during other activities like reading, working out, or playing an instrument.

  • Third Place: Natalie Johnson of Wilton High School (Wilton, CT) won $1,000 for the PSA "Don't Text and Drive," which used animation to highlight the dangers of texting while driving.

The three winning social media campaigns are:

  • First Place: Wilton High School (Wilton, CT) won $10,000. Their campaign included creating a website to promote their PSA videos, sharing messaging on TikTok and Instagram, and producing bracelets with their motto, "Think About Me Too."

  • Second Place:

    Suffield High School (West Suffield, CT) won $7,000. Their campaign included multiple videos, infographics, and PSAs that were displayed throughout the school and shared on social media.

  • Third Place: Greenwich High School (Greenwich, CT) won $2,500. Their campaign featured research-based messaging that was shared on Twitter, a Safe Driving Day event at Greenwich High School that was promoted on Instagram, and video interviews with safe driving organizations.

The competition presents a creative opportunity for teens to express safe driving practices. The winning schools put their prize money towards a post-prom, post-graduation, or safe driving program.

"Our partner — Impact Teen Drivers — does a great job engaging students in creating a culture of safety within their schools," said Violet Marrero, NJM's consumer safety director. "This contest serves as a reminder each year that teens are our greatest ambassadors. Their collaborative work to raise awareness and end distracted driving gives us promise that safer roads are achievable."

"The ITD team is proud to work with NJM in Connecticut to help save lives and reduce injuries," said Kelly Browning, Ph.D., executive director of Impact Teen Drivers. "The Connecticut Just Drive contests invite the young people to take an active role in the health and safety of drivers. We are grateful for NJM's generous support that allows us to provide our evidence-based programs to engage, educate, and empower Connecticut teens and their influencers to make lifesaving decisions in the car."

NJM announced the winners in special virtual showcases on Facebook and Instagram on May 24, 2022. They also shared the news on TikTok. During the virtual events, participants viewed clips from the submissions.

About NJM Insurance Group

Founded in 1913, NJM is among the Mid-Atlantic's region leading property and casualty insurers. The Company operates in a mutual fashion for the exclusive benefit of its policyholders and is consistently recognized for its award-winning customer service, superior claims handling procedures, and overall customer satisfaction. NJM's personal insurance products are available direct to consumers in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The Company also works with a preferred network of independent agents to deliver business insurance in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Visit njm.com to learn more.

About NJM's Teen Driver Safety Program

NJM's Teen Driver Safety Programs are offered at no cost to high schools in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. NJM's research-based programs empower parents and teens with the information and resources they need to build safe driving skills. The Programs have reached more than 205,000 parents and teens since their launch in 2013 and were recognized in 2016 by the National Safety Council for their demonstrated results in reducing behaviors among teens that lead to crashes. For more information about NJM's Teen Driver Safety Programs, or to schedule a program in your area please visit njm.com/teen-driver-safety.