News Releases

NJM Insurance Group Announces Winners of Fourth Annual "Just Drive" PSA Contest

April 22, 2022

Annual contest recognizes the importance of Distracted Driving Awareness Month

WEST TRENTON, NJ — NJM Insurance Group, in partnership with the Pennsylvania DUI Association (PA DUI) and the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey (BIANJ), is awarding a total of $60,000 to the winning New Jersey and Pennsylvania high schools of the fourth annual "Just Drive" public service announcement (PSA) video contests.

Students representing 71 high schools in New Jersey and Pennsylvania created 30-second video PSAs highlighting the dangers of distracted driving. Over 12,000 students also registered to "Take the Just Drive Pledge," a campaign to help put an end to distracted driving. According to the National Safety Council, car crashes are the number one cause of preventable deaths for teens.

The three winning New Jersey schools are:

  • First Place: Lenape High School District (Medford, NJ) won $15,000. Their PSA, "The Adventures of Just Drive Man," highlighted examples of common distractions such as eating, talking to passengers, and looking down at the phone.

  • Second Place: Matawan Regional High School (Aberdeen Twp., NJ) won $10,000. Their PSA, "It's Up to YOU, Just Drive," identified common examples of distracted driving and emphasized that driving safely is a choice.

  • Third Place: JP Stevens High School (Edison, NJ) won $5,000. Their PSA, "NJM Hit That Brake Just Drive," highlighted five steps that lead to safe driving.

The three winning Pennsylvania schools are:

  • First Place: CLASS Academy (Bayden, PA) won $15,000. Their PSA, "Put the Distractions Aside, Just Drive," contends that having your dentist or barber distracted while working would be worrisome, yet driving distracted is far more dangerous.

  • Second Place: Penn-Trafford High School (Harrison City, PA) won $10,000. Their PSA, "Drive Distraction Free," points out students are distraction free during daily tasks, so why drive distracted?

  • Third Place: Palisades High School (Kintnersville, PA) won $5,000. Their PSA, "Symphony of Distraction," highlighted how passengers can be distracting to drivers, so telling them to stop can allow you to focus on the road.

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 partners at BIANJ and PADUI do 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."

NJM announced the winners in special virtual showcases on Facebook and Instagram on April 20 and April 21, 2022. The news was also shared on TikTok. During the virtual events, participants viewed clips from NJ and PA submissions.

"Each year we are impressed and inspired by the creative approaches students take in developing safe driving messages," said Felicity DeBacco-Erni, project director at PA DUI Association. "We're delighted to continue our relationship with NJM to work together educating Pennsylvania teens on the importance of safe driving."

"The peer-to-peer engagement among our New Jersey high school students has been tremendous, and we are proud of the time they've invested toward safe driving messaging," said Wendy Berk, vice president at BIANJ. "NJM is a dedicated safety advocate and a strong supporter of our Annual U Got Brains Champion Schools Program. We're honored to extend this partnership to include the 'Just Drive' PSA Contest."

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.