Erie Insurance and Christian Brothers Academy Produce Safe Driving Public Service Announcement

(Erie, Pa.) . - Drop the doughnut, forget the cell phone, and quit clowning around! That’s the message teens at Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) in Syracuse, N.Y. are sending their peers in a public service announcement produced in conjunction with Erie Insurance.

The PSA was produced as part of Erie Insurance’s Lookin’ Out program, a peer-to-peer safe teen driving program conducted in more than 80 schools across Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin during the 2008-09 academic year. Schools participating in the program are eligible for grant funding to promote safe driving habits among teen drivers. All schools involved in the Lookin’ Out program were invited to submit a PSA script designed to build awareness and positively impact teen driving behavior.

Senior James Domachowske came up with the winning idea and enlisted classmates James Gavigan, Brett Keegan, Matthew Kirkman, Dan LaCombe, and Hersh Sangani to help write, produce and film the 30-second PSA. “We wanted to show kids that distractions really do add up and make it difficult to drive safely,” says Domachowske. Teacher Cheryl Barredo is the Lookin’ Out faculty advisor at CBA.

Erie Insurance agent Steve Corapi of the R.G. Wright Agency, Inc. in Auburn, N.Y. serves as a liaison to the school’s Lookin’ Out program and was thrilled to see the students rewarded for their efforts.

“This PSA is a great reminder that when you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle, nothing is more important than focusing on the road,” says Corapi. “Distracted driving is dangerous driving, especially for young, inexperienced drivers.”

Megan Euston, Lookin’ Out program coordinator, is pleased another student-directed public service announcement, the ninth of its kind, is available for broadcast.

“Erie Insurance and its agents are proud to continue our tradition of working with teens to promote safe driving habits through the Lookin’ Out program,” says Euston. “We’re happy to provide young drivers with resources to help make the roads safer for everyone.”