DCH Auto Group Launches 'InTEXTicated' Teen Safe Driving Campaign

SOUTH AMBOY, N.J., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- DCH Auto Group is pleased to announce the launch of its latest teen safe driving public service advertising campaign, "InTEXTicated," that will spotlight the dangers of texting and driving.  Students from DCH-sponsored Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapters had the opportunity to vote on the design for this campaign – all submitted by students from DCH-sponsored high school SADD Chapters.  The winning entry, by Samantha Carey of Old Bridge High School in Old Bridge, N.J., was selected as the best design for the new campaign.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100913/PH63506 )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100913/PH63506 )

"SADD is a peer run organization, that's why it was important to DCH Auto Group that students design and decide this public service campaign," said Roy Bavaro, Director of Corporate Marketing and Brand Development for DCH Auto Group.  "Teens listen to teens."

Ms. Carey's winning design will appear in print and outdoor advertising.  The runner-up entry, by Bryan Epstein of Freehold Township High School in Freehold Township, N.J., will also be produced for outdoor advertising as part of the campaign.

"InTEXTicated" is defined by UrbanDictionary.com as "People that text and drive in a daze and aren't paying attention to driving."  The U.S. Department of Transportation reports drivers who use hand held devices are four times more likely to get into a serious crash, serious enough to injure someone, and The Harvard Center of Risk Analysis estimates that cell phone activity contributes to 636,000 motor vehicle crashes, 330,000 injuries, and 2,600 fatalities, each year.

"The number of car crashes involving teens is staggering," said Shau-wai Lam, Chairman of DCH Auto Group. "Thousands of teens tragically die and hundreds of thousands are critically injured each year in car crashes. Through this campaign and sponsorship of SADD, DCH is working to show that by making better decisions, we can reduce the number of car crashes involving teens."

DCH Auto Group would also like to recognize its business partners, who contributed their time and resources to help launch this teen safe driving campaign.  "We are very grateful to CBS Outdoor Advertising for donating billboard space for the 'InTEXTicated' campaign," said George Liang, President of DCH Auto Group. "Their generous gift is a tremendous help in getting the message out that texting and driving is distracting and potentially deadly."

DCH Auto Group is committed to helping teens drive safely with its Mindless Driving. Keep It Out Of Cars® initiative, an exclusive, long term, teen-focused, driving-safety community outreach program.  The focus is to keep "it" -- as in, mindless driving -- out of our teenagers' cars. This means not driving distracted, driving recklessly, or driving under the influence, to name a few.

The cornerstone of the program is DCH's affiliation with SADD. DCH Auto Group is the exclusive automotive dealer sponsor of SADD in New Jersey, southern New York, Fairfield, Connecticut, and southern California, and has agreed to help launch new SADD chapters in local area schools. Through this agreement, DCH Auto Group provides both financial support and support from its employees.

About DCH Auto Group

Headquartered in South Amboy, NJ, DCH Auto Group comprises 27 auto dealerships in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Southern California from Oxnard to San Diego, featuring a full line of new and pre-owned vehicles.  The company is highly invested in principles for success that value customers and employees.  DCH Auto Group is committed to giving back to the communities in which its dealerships operate and employees and customers live.  The company is dedicated to its teen safe driver program, "Mindless Driving. Keep It Out Of Cars," and is a sponsor of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD).  For more information, please visit www.DCHAuto.com.

SOURCE DCH Auto Group