Published: February 16, 2011

NSC and FocusDriven Announce Public Service Announcement Contest

Share This Story

ITASCA, Ill. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - The National Safety Council and FocusDriven - Advocates for Cell-Free Driving announce their joint public service announcement contest to explain the dangers of cell phone use behind the wheel. The On the Road, Off the Phone PSA Contest is sponsored by The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.

To help raise awareness of this critical issue, NSC and FocusDriven are calling for original PSAs, less than 3 minutes in length, that discuss the dangers of the cell phone conversation. Official rules are on the NSC website, where you can find a toolkit of resources to use in your video, including the Council's white paper on distracted driving, NSC and FocusDriven logos, and more. The deadline to submit a video is March 31. The first place winner will receive a $2,000 cash prize, second place will receive $1,000 and third place will receive $500.

"Goodyear is a strong advocate of safety, particularly on the road. We expect our associates to set good examples, and that includes how cell devices are used while driving," said Rich Kramer, CEO, president & chairman of Goodyear. "By sponsoring the On the Road, Off the Phone PSA Contest, Goodyear is taking our responsibility a step further and encouraging all drivers around the country to think about safety and put down their cell phones while driving."

Distracted driving is a hot news topic, but many believe texting to be the main danger. However, data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and statistical calculations from NSC show cell phone conversations occur far more frequently than texting behind the wheel. At any given moment, less than 1 percent of drivers are visibly manipulating handheld devices, but 9 percent of drivers are having cell phone conversations. Furthermore, texting drivers only account for about 2 percent of motor vehicle crashes, while drivers talking on cell phones were involved in 21 percent of crashes. Submitted PSAs for this contest should not focus on texting while driving.

The National Safety Council (www.nsc.org) saves lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the roads through leadership, research, education and advocacy.

FocusDriven - Advocates for Cell-Free Driving (focusdriven.org) is a nonprofit advocacy organization for victims of motor vehicle crashes involving drivers using cell phones. FocusDriven supports victims of cell phone distracted driving and families of victims. Its goal is to increase public awareness on the dangers of cell phone distracted driving by putting a human face on the disastrous impact of the behavior, in order to promote corresponding public policies, programs and personal responsibility.

Connect with NSC:

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube