This Traffic Safety Campaign is For Teens, By Teens

A group of teens in Rochester Hills will use a $2,000 grant to help urge their friends and classmates not to text and drive.

The Rochester Hills Government Youth Council recently received the grant from "Strive For A Safer Drive," a partnership between AAA Michigan, Ford Driving Skills for Life and the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.

Their mission? To create a traffic-safety campaign that will ultimately reduce serious traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities among the most inexperienced drivers: teens.

"We are a small group of kids trying to make a large impact, and what better way to do that than promote safe driving among teens,” stated Youth Council Representative Jacqueline Markey in a press release sent from the city of Rochester Hills.

“We want teens to know the extremity of their actions and how vital it is to be fully aware of the road.” 

Here's what the Youth Council has planned for the campaign at Rochester, Adams and Stoney Creek high schools:

• Sign the pledge: More than 300 teens so far have signed the pledge to not to text while driving; those signing the pledge received a “Don’t Text & Drive” thumb band as a visible reminder of their promise. 
• Raise awareness: A two-week competition from ends Feb. 15 where students are asked to submit a poster, video, song, or anything that will promote no texting while driving. The top 3 winners from each school will receive Visa Gift Cards from between $75 and $150. Winning videos or songs will be played as part of the schools announcements, and posters will be hung throughout the halls.
• Driving instruction: Some students will have the opportunity to attend a free hands-on driving clinic with professional driving instructors.

For more information on how you can participate or take the pledge, contact Leanne Scott at the City of Rochester Hills 248-656-4630.

"Even if we only get through to a few people out of the many we are trying to reach, that's making a difference," Markey stated.