High School Students In Louisiana Win National Contest About Dangers Of Driving At Night

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Students from the Livingston Parish High School SADD chapter in Denham Springs, LA, have won $2,500 in #DrivingSkills101 – Dangers in the Dark, a nationwide contest sponsored by Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and The National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF). 

The #DrivingSkills101 contest challenged teens in SADD chapters to create a safe driving campaign about the dangers of driving in the dark, with the goals of gaining school involvement, local media engagement and community interaction. 

The Livingston Parish SADD Chapter, with advisor Dylan Ivy, proposed a video that compares drivers to super-heroes, using the analogy to remind nighttime drivers that, unlike super-heroes, we don't have x-ray vision so we must use our headlights.  Since we can't fly like super-heroes, we should watch out for others on the road.  We should be fully rested before driving and, since we are not invincible like super-heroes, we should always buckle our seat belts to protect us in the event of a crash. 

Students in the winning SADD chapter will work with an Emmy Award-winning TV director, who will come to their school to work with them to produce their video about driving safely at night. The video will debut at the SADD National Conference in Washington, D.C. in June and will be featured on the syndicated show "Teen Kids News," which airs on more than 150 TV stations nationwide.

"Young drivers are involved in fatal crashes at three times the rate of more experienced drivers, and because of their inexperience, driving at night poses greater safety risks," said Rick Birt, President and CEO of SADD. "The contest, with support and encouragement from The National Road Safety Foundation, helps motivate our student leaders to spread the safety message to their peers and their communities."

"We support SADD's mission of empowering young people to promote positive decision-making, especially when it comes to driving," said Michelle Anderson of The National Road Safety Foundation. "Traffic crashes continue to be a leading killer of teens, and we think the message created by the student leaders in Louisiana will help address this serious issue that causes so much tragedy.  It outlines some specific things to keep people safe when driving in the dark."

The following nine SADD chapters were selected as finalists and will each receive $250: Proviso West High School, Hillside, IL; Bethlehem Central High School, Delmar, NY; Unicoi County High School, Erwin, TN; Helix Charter High School, La Mesa, CA; Sacred Heart High School, Kingston, MA; Belmont Ridge Middle School, Leesburg, VA; Herbert Hoover High School, Elkview, WV;  Murrieta Valley High School, Temecula, CA; and Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, La Canada, CA.

About SADD:  For almost 40 years, SADD, the nation's premier youth health & safety organization has worked to empower teens, engage parents, mobilize communities, and change lives around the issues of traffic safety, substance abuse, and personal health and safety. Through a national network of peer-led chapters in middle schools, high schools and colleges, SADD equips our students with the resources they need to advocate for change on their campuses and in their communities. Join the movement by visiting  www.sadd.org, and follow us on Facebook , Twitter , YouTube and Instagram .    

About The National Road Safety Foundation:  For more than 55 years, The National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF), a non-profit organization, has created driver education programs for free distribution to teachers, police, traffic safety agencies, youth advocacy groups and others.  NRSF has programs on distracted driving, speed and aggression, impaired driving, drowsy driving and other traffic safety issues.  NRSF also sponsors national contests for teens in partnership with SADD, NOYS and Scholastic and regional contests partnering with auto shows in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta and Washington, D.C.  To view free programs and for more information, visit www.nrsf.org or www.teenlane.org.

Contact: David Reich
212-573-6000 
[email protected]

SOURCE The National Road Safety Foundation