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NJM, in partnership with Impact Teen Drivers, is awarding a total of $22,500 to Ohio high schools in the second annual Ohio “Just Drive” PSA Video Contest.

May 24, 2022

Contest awards totaling $30,000 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 $30,00 to the winning Ohio schools of the second annual "Just Drive" public service announcement (PSA) and social media campaign video contests. The awards will go toward educational supplies and tuition assistance.

Students from Ohio representing colleges, trade schools, and high schools 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: Emiliano Diaz Capt of Savannah College of Art and Design (Akron, OH) won $5,000 for the PSA "Don't Text and Drive," which illustrated how quickly texting and driving can result in a serious car crash.

  • Second Place: Lexis Bell of Trumbull Career and Technical Center (Warren, OH) won $2,500 for the PSA "Drive Distractionless," which used sketches to educate drivers about simple ways to create good habits and avoid distractions.

  • Third Place: Trent Hodge of Jefferson Area High School (Jefferson, OH) won $1,000 for the PSA "No Second Chances," which used a dream sequence to show teen drivers that texting and driving can tragically result in the loss of a loved one.

The four winning social media campaigns are:

  • First Place: Trumbull Career and Technical Center (Warren, OH) won $10,000. Their campaign included producing 30-second PSA videos, creating a mascot named "JD" to promote safe driving on social media platforms, posting print infographics throughout the school, and hosting an interactive "Just Drive" event at their high school.

  • Second Place: MLS Amherst Steele High School (Amherst, OH) won $7,000. Their campaign encouraged safe teen driving by hosting a "Click It the Quickest" contest to demonstrate how little time it takes to buckle up, a "Distracted Musical Chairs" contest to show your reduced reaction time while texting and launched a distracted driving social media campaign to help influence followers.

  • Third Place: Polaris Career Center (Middleburg Heights, OH) won $2,500. Their campaign created posters, infographics, social media posts, and PSA videos to create awareness around their campaign slogan, "You Can't Rewind Your Life."

  • Fourth Place: Sentinel Career Center (Tiffin, OH) won $2,000. Their campaign consisted of five groups of students from the school's Public Safety Program creating an infographic post, social media post, and video highlighting the dangers of distracted driving. Each of the five groups created a different theme to promote safe driving.

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 Ohio to help save lives and reduce injuries," said Kelly Browning, Ph.D., executive director of Impact Teen Drivers. "The Ohio 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 Ohio 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.