Educators and Students Can Win Their Share of $27,000 Through Create Real Impact “Stop Distracted Driving” Creative Contest


This is an opportunity for teens to do something about distracted driving – the #1 killer of their peers.

Impact Teen Drivers Fall Create Real Impact Contest (CRI) once again invites students to get creative and speak out about the #1 killer of young people – reckless and distracted driving.

Students, ages 14-22, can submit one entry into one of the four categories: creative writing, video, graphic design, or music to showcase their original idea for a solution or strategy to end reckless and distracted driving.

Individual Prizes are awarded in a variety of ways:

  • $500 to the entry with the most online votes within each category
  • $1,500 to the grand prize winner in each category (as determined by CRI judges*
  • $1,500 for a Spanish Language award within the video or graphic design category

*Judges will determine the Grand Prize Winners based on the following criteria: 25% concept/creativity, 25% execution of the idea, and 50% effectiveness of the message. Online voting in no way influences the decisions of the panel of judges.

In addition to the individual student winners, high school teachers and advisors are invited to submit a distracted driving social media campaign developed and implemented by their student leaders. The High School Distracted Driving Social Media Campaign contest gives students the chance to develop critical thinking and rational problem-solving skills through conducting research, advancing technical and creative writing skills, and developing communication with peers and community members across multiple media.

Projects can be developed through distance learning or in-person.

The social media campaign prizes are as follows:

  • $10,000 for the first place winner
  • $5,000 for second place
  • $2,500 for third

Distracted driving is anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, mind off driving, or keeps ears from being alert to surroundings. Commonly referred to as accidents, these crashes are actually 100% preventable.

The Create Real Impact contest is a proactive movement to reduce poor decision making and inattentive driving by 16 to 19 year olds that has become an epidemic. Empowering messages from young people urging their peers to adopt safer driving attitudes and avoid the tragic result of bad choices behind-the-wheel can save lives.

Over the past two years, we have received entries representing all 50 states and Washington, D.C. We receive over 100,000 votes cast through a network of friends, loved ones, and young drivers and passengers raising awareness to stop distracted and reckless driving behaviors.

Important Dates:

  • Contest Opens: Monday, August 24, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. (PT)
  • Contest Entry Deadline: Thursday, November 12, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. (PT)
  • Online Voting Begins: Friday, November 13, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. (PT)
  • Online Voting Closes: Thursday, November 19, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. (PT)
  • Grand Prize Winners and Top Online Vote Getter Winners will be announced by the week of November 23-27, 2020

Students, ages 14-22, can enter their works at http://www.createrealimpact.com.

Details about the High School Distracted Social Media Campaign can be found by visiting https://createrealimpact.com/campaign-how-to-enter/.

“I have confidence teens can change the culture of driving to one that is distraction free – much like earlier generations did with seat belts,” said Kelly Browning, Ph.D., Executive Director, Impact Teen Drivers. “The Create Real Impact Contest provides an opportunity for teens to join the conversation and do something about the problem.”

About Impact Teen Drivers (ITD)

Impact Teen Drivers was founded in mid-2007 by the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, California Casualty, and the California Teachers Association. The organization has emerged as a leading non-profit organization dedicated to reversing the pervasive yet 100% preventable crisis of teens killed in car crashes. ITD’s mission is to develop, promote, and facilitate evidence-based education and strategies to save lives and reduce injuries and fatalities caused by reckless and distracted driving. To learn more visit http://www.ImpactTeenDrivers.org or send an email to info@impactteendrivers.org

About California Casualty

Founded in 1914 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, with Service Centers in Arizona, Colorado and Kansas, California Casualty provides auto and home insurance to educators, firefighters, law enforcement, nurses and United MileagePlus members across the country. To learn more about California Casualty, or to request an auto insurance quote, please visit http://www.calcas.com or call 1.800.800.9410.

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