Twenty Teams of Teen Activists Address the No. 1 Killer of Teens in National Act Out Loud Competition

The National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) and The Allstate Foundation announced today the Top 20 teams selected to compete in the 2009 Act Out Loud: Raising Voices for Safe Teen Driving contest, a national teen-led and school-based activism competition to help spread the word about safe teen driving this May during National Youth Traffic Safety Month (NYTSM). Sixty-four teams applied for the opportunity to compete in the 2nd annual contest.

“Car crashes are the No. 1 cause of death and injuries for teens in the United States, so we are glad that youth are getting involved in safe driving efforts and spreading the word to their peers,” said Sandy Spavone, executive director of NOYS. “We hope that the more teen drivers and passengers understand what it really means to drive safely, the more they will speak up and help prevent car crashes.”

In December 2008, NOYS put out a call to teens across the country to submit project proposals for the contest. Judges selected the Top 20 teams based on originality, level of involvement and communication of key safe driving messages and themes. The Top 20 teams are showcased at www.ActOutLoud.org.

Each team will receive $1,000 and a video camera from The Allstate Foundation to document their progress via blog, photos and video over the next two months. The public will vote online at www.ActOutLoud.org for their favorite teams from May 11-22 to determine the top three winners.

“The Allstate Foundation is committed to harnessing the positive power of peer influence to change the way teens think and act in the car,” said Vicky Dinges, assistant vice president for public social responsibility at Allstate. “By empowering teens to become smart driving activists in their schools and communities, we hope to reverse the staggering statistics.” Nearly 5,000 young people die in car crashes each year and about 300,000 are injured.

In January 2009, NOYS worked with the research company TRU to gain a fresh perspective on current young driver knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. The data revealed that teens involved in youth traffic safety efforts are more likely to speak up if their friends are driving unsafely. The survey revealed that:

* 65 percent of teens have asked someone to stop driving unsafely, and that number rises to 75 percent for teens involved in a youth traffic safety effort
* 55 percent of girls [vs. 46% of guys] have talked to friends about safe driving
* Nearly 90 percent of teens have asked passengers to buckle up.

The Top 20 teams are as follows:

1. Anoka High School SADD, Anoka High School (Anoka, MN)
2. Cactus Shadows SADD Chapter, Cactus Shadows High School (Scottsdale, AZ)
3. Community Alliance for a Safer Tomorrow Youth, Upper Merion Area High School (King of Prussia, PA)
4. Coosa High TSA, Coosa High School (Rome, GA)
5. Coral Springs Charter SADD, Coral Springs Charter (Coral Springs, FL)
6. Henry Sibley SADD, Henry Sibley High School (Mendota Heights, MN)
7. Hillsboro SADD, Hillsboro High School (Hillsboro, ND)
8. Hopkins High School ’Keep the Drive’ Club, Hopkins High School (Minnetonka, MN)
9. Lake Howell High School, Lake Howell High (Winter Park, FL)
10. Liberty High School YOVASO, Liberty High School (Bealeton, VA)
11. Live Long and Prosper, Massapequa High School (Massapequa, NY)
12. Midwest Central High School - IPASS - I Practice Auto Safety Skills, Midwest Central High School (Manito, IL)
13. Mountain Proud Teen Safety Squad, Lee County Alternate High School (Beattyville, KY)
14. Rock, Don’t Roll, Shallowater High School (Shallowater, TX)
15. Saints Alive!, Vail Christian High School (Edwards, CO)
16. Soaring Eagles, Smyrna High School (Smyrna, DE)
17. Students Against Destructive Decisions, Madison Central High School (Madison, MS)
18. The Informants, Scecina Memorial High School (Indianapolis, IN)
19. Three Forks FCCLA, Three Forks High School (Three Forks, MT)
20. VHS Student Council, Valley High School (Las Vegas, NV)

From the Top 20 teams, The Allstate Foundation will award up to $10,000 to the three teams with the most votes, which will be announced during NYTSM on May 27th. The prize will go to the team’s local organization to assist them in continuing their youth traffic safety efforts.

Additional team and program information can be found at www.ActOutLoud.org. To secure an interview with a representative from NOYS, The Allstate Foundation, or one of the Top 20 teams, please contact Christy Bennett at (202) 842-3600 x242 or cbennett@hagersharp.com.