Do you know a creative high school student who loves to create videos? AAA Northeast invites high school students living in AAA Northeast territory to participate in the 2020 Traffic Safety Video Contest and create a :30 second video PSA to educate motorists of any age on the risks of marijuana-impaired driving. The grand prize winner will be awarded $5,000!
Contest rules can be found at AAA.com/VideoContest. Video entries should be uploaded and submitted via www.AAA.com/VideoContest by midnight on April 13, 2020. The public is invited to view students’ submissions and “like” their favorite video on that website between April 20-30th. The top five videos, determined by the number of “likes”, will be posted to AAA Northeast’s Instagram account @AAANortheast on May 1st and the video receiving the most “likes” on Instagram by May 4th will be the grand prize winner!
The contest’s goal is to educate drivers that consuming marijuana in any form, including vaping THC, will impact and impair driving ability. Research demonstrates that driving high more than doubles crash risk. “While the contest is for high school students, the message is relevant for drivers of all ages. Marijuana legalization and decriminalization in many states has led to an attitudinal shift about the drug. Drivers need to understand that driving under the influence of THC can increase crash risk up to 200%. AAA is able to offer a create platform for students to spread awareness about impaired driving,” said Diana Imondi, AAA Northeast’s Senior Manager of Public Affairs.
AAA Northeast also provides direct education to students in high school health classes through the Shifting Gears: The Blunt Truth About Marijuana & Driving program. This lesson, designed for high school students and endorsed by Brown University’s School of Public Health, highlights the effects of marijuana use on the teenage brain, with a particular focus on the dangers of drugged driving. AAA believes that education about marijuana-impaired driving designed and created by students can be effective in preventing crashes. Visit www.AAA.com/ShiftingGears to learn about AAA’s free educational program for high schoolers on marijuana impaired driving.
