Watsonville Teen Wins "Drive Safe California" PSA Contest

16-Year-Old Wins $2,000 for Concept for TV PSA About Dangers of Speeding; Will Work with Emmy-Winning Director to Help Make 30-Second Ad That Will Air Nationwide

News provided by

The National Road Safety Foundation

Dec 15, 2020, 10:00 ET

NEW YORK, Dec. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Isaiah Overson, 16, has won the statewide Drive Safe California PSA Contest by submitting a script for a 30-second TV public service announcement that warns of the dangers of speeding, which is a factor in 26 percent of all fatal traffic crashes, killing more than 9,000 people every year.

The Watsonville, CA teen, who is home-schooled, wins a $2,000 prize from The National Road Safety Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes safe driving behavior. He will also work remotely with an Emmy Award-winning director to film his idea and make it into a public service announcement that will be broadcast on more than 160 TV stations nationwide. It will also be shown at the LA Auto Show® this May, 21-31 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The Drive Safe California Contest is sponsored by The National Road Safety Foundation and promoted by the LA Auto Show.

Overson, who said he wrestled with several ideas for a PSA, wanted something that would get his attention if he were watching TV. His winning concept, titled "Dangers of Speeding," shows 20 young people chatting on a Zoom call, congratulating Steve on getting his driver's license. As one of the friends reminds Steve that one out of five teens has a crash in the first year of driving, four of the Zoom boxes fade away. Gary tells the group that speeding is to blame for 18 percent of fatal crashes involving girls, and four boxes with girls disappear. Mary then says even more boys in crashes – 30 percent --die from speeding, and seven boxes with boys leave the call. Alex says speeding causes 21 percent of all fatal teen crashes, and four more boxes disappear, leaving Steve alone on the call. As he asks "Where did everybody go?" the words "There's No Need to Speed" come on the screen and an announcer says "No matter how you do the math, it adds up the same: There's no need to speed."

"Isaiah's concept is compelling since it puts human faces to the statistics of speed-related traffic crashes," said Michelle Anderson, Director of Operations at The National Road Safety Foundation. "It shows that speeding can be much more costly than a ticket."

"Today's cars are safer than ever, with technological advances that help avoid crashes," said Terri Toennies, President of the LA Auto Show. "But we need to remain vigilant in spreading the message, especially with young drivers, about the importance of responsible driving and the dangers of speeding. We look forward to having Isaiah's PSA shown at our show this May."

The runner-up in the Drive Safe California PSA Contest is Madellyn Lee, 17. A student a West High School in Torrance, CA., she will get a $1,000 prize from The National Road Safety Foundation.

The National Road Safety Foundation, Inc. (NRSF) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that for nearly 60 years has been dedicated to reducing crashes, deaths and injuries on our nation's highways by promoting safe driving habits through greater public awareness.

NRSF programs deal with distracted driving, speed and aggression, impaired driving, drowsy driving, driver proficiency and pedestrian safety. The Foundation also works with key youth advocacy groups and sponsors contests to engage teens in promoting safe driving to their peers and in their communities. For more information or to download free programs, visit www.nrsf.org.

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