Students Help Educate on the Dangers of Distracted Driving Through the 2026 Project Yellow Light Competition

Students nationwide awarded scholarships for their winning TV, radio and billboard ads on Project Yellow Light's 15th anniversary

NEW YORK, June 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ad Council and Project Yellow Light announced the winners of this year's Project Yellow Light Scholarship competition, marking the campaign's 15th anniversary. The annual initiative invites students to develop public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to warn their peers about the dangers of distracted driving. The winning PSAs will be showcased on June 26 in Times Square, with media space generously provided by Clear Channel Outdoor as well as displayed on digital billboards across the country. The winning radio spot may be shared on iHeartMedia's national network and radio stations across the U.S.

Project Yellow Light was created in 2007 in memory of Hunter Garner, who lost his life in a car crash at the age of 16. The latest national data underscores the ongoing urgency of the issue: in 2024, distracted-driving-related crashes resulted in 3,208 fatalities and an estimated 315,167 injuries. Distraction played a role in 8% of fatal crashes, 13% of injury crashes, and 12% of all police-reported crashes that year.

The 2026 scholarships are supported by Clear Channel Outdoor and Elephant Insurance, in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), iHeartMedia, American Advertising Federation (AAF) and PIX11.

This year's competition drew nearly 3,000 submissions from students representing all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The winning PSAs feature relatable, real–life scenarios that use foreshadowing, emotional storytelling, and moments of shock to highlight the dangers of distracted driving. The 2026 scholarship awards were presented to the following students:

Head Out of Your Apps…(billboard design, college): Hannah Williams (Gainesville, FL)
Text Them Later, Alligator…(billboard design, high school): Lilwen Fout (Justin, TX)
Be A Ten…(radio, college): Chris Santos (New York City, NY)
Shot Clock…(radio, high school): Benji Johnston (Cedarburg, WI)
You Reap What You Sow…(Video, college): Hayden Yates (Amelia, OH)
Make It to School Safely…(Video, high school): Jana Kalumbula (Grand Rapids, MI)

Submissions were evaluated by a diverse panel of advertising professionals and artists who volunteered their expertise in support of the program. This year's judges included recording artist and songwriter Aloe Blacc; renowned filmmaker and social activist Kweku Mandela; Wendy Clark, former CEO of Dentsu International; Co-Chairman and Partner of Goodby Silverstein & Partners Jeff Goodby; award-winning poet, songwriter, and author IN-Q Adam Schmalholz; and representatives from The Martin Agency and Omnicom, along with the Project Yellow Light partner organizations.

Since 2012, the Ad Council and NHTSA have worked together to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving through their national Distracted Driving Prevention campaign. Their continued support of the Project Yellow Light Scholarship competition reinforces this commitment and helps reach youth audiences through compelling peer-created content.

PARTNER QUOTES

• "One of the most powerful ways to change behavior is through the voices of young people. Our Project Yellow Light participants prove year after year that creativity and awareness can save lives," said Julie Garner, Founder of Project Yellow Light. "I'm proud of our 2026 winners and thankful to everyone who continues to support our mission to end distracted driving."
  
  
• "Project Yellow Light empowers young people to educate each other about the importance of driving distraction free. This peer-to-peer outreach is authentic, impactful and creative. We hope everyone who sees these ads will remember that distracted driving is deadly and become safer drivers," NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison said.
  
  
• "Our student participants understand the realities of distracted driving because they see it every day, and the power of this program is that they're addressing their peers in a way that feels real and relatable," said Michelle Hillman, chief campaign & program officer at the Ad Council. "Their voices are compelling and this year's winning work is a reminder to all of us that alert, focused driving saves lives."
  
  
• "To see this level of creativity in students is equal parts astounding and reassuring. Just as Project Yellow Light validates the understanding of incorporating a youthful perspective for a problem that impacts all ages, the competition reminds us, impactful creative can come from all ages, " AAF Vice President Dawn Reeves shared.
  
  
• "Year after year, we continue to be inspired by the creativity students bring to this campaign," said Dan Levi, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Clear Channel Outdoor. "Their ability to connect with peers in authentic, relatable ways demonstrates the power of young voices to spark meaningful conversations about distracted driving. For more than a decade, we've partnered with Project Yellow Light to raise awareness in communities nationwide, and we're proud to use our digital billboard network to amplify these messages and encourage safer driving habits."
  
  
• "Elephant values our partnership with Project Yellow Light as this initiative does more than highlight the dangers of distracted driving; it empowers young drivers to consider their choices every time they get behind the wheel. Congratulations to this year's winners, we'll see you on the road," said Alberto G. Schiavon, CEO of Elephant Insurance.
  
  
• "For over a decade, iHeart has proudly partnered with Project Yellow Light and the Ad Council to elevate youth-created messages that make a difference by reminding their peer drivers to avoid distractions and stay focused on the road," said Jessica King, iHeartMedia's Senior Vice President of Communications and Community Engagement. "Every year these inspiring students bring fresh creativity and purpose to an important message designed to save lives, and iHeart is proud to help amplify their work to our millions of listeners."
  
  
• "PIX 11 is proud to support Project Yellow Light's mission to curtail distracted driving. We congratulate the next generation of creative minds who produced such impactful content," said Greg Mocker, PIX 11 Transportation Reporter.

About the Ad Council
The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and accelerating change. For more than 80 years, the nonprofit organization and its partners in advertising, media, marketing and tech have been behind some of the country's most iconic social impact campaigns – Smokey Bear, Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more. To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council's communities on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, and view campaign creative on YouTube.

American Advertising Federation
Established in 1905, the American Advertising Federation (AAF) acts as the "Unifying Voice for Advertising." Its membership comprises more than 60 corporate members, including the nation's leading advertisers, agencies, and media companies; a national network of 150 local clubs representing 35,000 advertising professionals; and more than 140 college chapters with 4,000 student members. The AAF operates a host of programs and initiatives, including Advertising Day on the Hill, the Advertising Hall of Fame, the Advertising Hall of Achievement, the American Advertising Awards, the National Student Advertising Competition, and the Most Promising Students Program. Follow us on social media: Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings 
Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. is at the forefront of driving innovation in the out-of-home advertising industry. Our dynamic advertising platform is broadening the pool of advertisers using our medium through the expansion of digital billboards and displays and the integration of data analytics and programmatic capabilities that deliver measurable campaigns that are simpler to buy. By leveraging the scale, reach and flexibility of our diverse portfolio of assets, we connect advertisers with millions of consumers every month.

Elephant Insurance
Elephant Insurance is an auto insurance company that provides consumers with the tools and advice they need to buy and use auto insurance—including innovative AI-driven solutions that make insurance simpler and more personalized. Elephant is known for its customer focus, innovative pricing, and supportive work culture. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Elephant provides auto, home, renters, life, and umbrella insurance policies to customers in Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. Elephant is listed by Forbes as one of America's Best Insurance Companies 2023 and certified as a Great Place to Work®. To learn more, visit elephant.com.

iHeartMedia, Inc.
iHeartMedia, Inc. is the leading audio media company in America, with nine out of ten Americans listening to iHeart broadcast radio in every month. iHeart's broadcast radio assets alone have a larger audience in the U.S. than any other media outlet and over four times the ad-enabled audience of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to both Podtrac and Triton, with more downloads than the next two podcast publishers combined, has the most recognizable live events across all genres of music, has the number one social footprint among audio players, has the highest-reach and most engaged influencers, and is the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts. The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.

NHTSA
For more than 50 years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has served as the key federal agency charged with improving safety on our nation's roadways. As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA is working to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries by promoting the use of seat belts and child safety seats; helping states and local communities address the threat of distracted, drunk and drug-impaired drivers; regulating vehicle safety standards and investigating safety defects in motor vehicles; establishing and enforcing fuel economy standards; conducting research on driver behavior and traffic safety; and providing consumer information on issues ranging from child passenger safety to impaired driving. For more information visit www.nhtsa.gov.

PIX 11
WPIX-TV (PIX 11) was founded in 1948. It was bought by Mission Broadcasting, Inc. in 2020 and is operated by Nexstar Media Group. Long regarded as a groundbreaking station in New York, PIX 11's successful primetime programming, award-winning news, extensive library of hit movies, first-run programs, off-network sitcom favorites, quality children's programming and public affairs shows, as well as outstanding event coverage, have contributed to the station's success. PIX 11 has earned hundreds of Emmy® Awards including multiple awards for Outstanding Morning News Program, Outstanding Newscast, and Interactivity. The station has been honored with numerous other prestigious awards for excellence in reporting, news coverage, public affairs, specials, and features.

Project Yellow Light
Project Yellow Light is a scholarship competition where high school and college students create compelling PSAs persuading their peers to develop safe driving habits. This project gives students a voice and a role in preventing car crashes — one of the leading causes of death of teenagers and young adults in the U.S. Project Yellow Light was created by Julie, Lowell and Alex Garner in memory of their son/brother, Hunter, who died tragically in a car crash in 2007. Each year the winners receive the Hunter Garner Scholarship.

SOURCE The Ad Council