Virginia high schools will kick off a teen safe driving campaign this week to increase awareness about the dangers of speeding, the importance of seat belt use, and the state’s Zero Tolerance Law prohibiting alcohol use for minors.
The three-week campaign, called “MISSION:POSSIBLE. Slow Down, Buckle Up. Zero Tolerance” is designed to help teens develop life-long save driving habits. It is sponsored by Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety (YOVASO).
During the three-week campaign, student groups at each participating school will develop a creative project that educates teens in their school about slowing down, buckling up and driving alcohol and drug-free. The student groups will also be sponsoring a variety of call to action activities to prevent their peers from participating in these dangerous, and often fatal, driving behaviors. The campaign also incorporates weekly missions with a spy theme for participating schools.
“This campaign gives our member schools the freedom to develop a creative project that is specific to their school’s traffic safety needs and interests, while still being fun and interesting to the students,” said Sarah Obenauer, YOVASO Program Development Coordinator. Some creative project entries in the past have included public service announcements, parent and teen driving nights, car shows and short films.
According to Virginia statistics, teens between the ages of 16 and 20 are less likely to buckle up when riding in a motor vehicle than other age groups. In 2012, 39% of the teens killed in crashes in Virginia were not wearing a safety belt. In addition, 21% of the fatal teen crashes involved alcohol, and 45% involved speeding.
“It is vital that we show teens the importance of following the speed limit, wearing a seat belt, and obeying the state’s Zero Tolerance Law,” Obenauer said. “By allowing teens to create their own projects, we can reach a much broader audience and save many more young lives.”
The “MISSION:POSSIBLE” Campaign began this week and will end February 21. Regional Winners will be determined by an independent judging panel and these winning entries will be posted online for voting. The grand prize winner will be awarded a day’s access to Mobile Cinema Park’s Cinema Drive Show, designed to provide young drivers with useful knowledge that will change undesirable driving habits and inspire behavioral shifts for continued safe driving. The show is being donated by Mobile Cinema Park and Life Changing Experiences USA. Regional winners will receive a $250 cash prize to use for their school’s traffic safety club. For more information about the “MISSION:POSSIBLE” Campaign or the YOVASO Program, contact Mary King or visit www.yovaso.org.
YOVASO was formed in 2001 by the Virginia Highway Safety Office and membership is open to all Virginia high schools and middle schools. YOVASO currently has 123 member schools and is a program provided by the Virginia State Police Association (VSPA)
