Action Tips: Host a Safe Driving Contest

Teach your classmates the basic tips of safe driving by hosting a contest. The competition will motivate drivers and passengers to improve the driving environment in the car and to remember certain safety methods even after the event is over.

Have a prize

Create incentive for students to participate. Consider prizes like:

• Special parking privileges for an entire month (with the school’s permission).
• Gift cards or coupons to a popular store that would sponsor you.

Assemble your judges

Recruit at least two more people to help you judge the safe drivers. Consider asking:

• The drivers’ ed teacher
• The school or local police officer
• An assistant principal or counselor
• Your club or sports team

Decide criteria to show that you are a safe driver

If your contest involves parked cars, your judges should know what to look for in terms of safe driving. Ideas include:

• Are there objects on the dashboard or in the back that impede vision through the rear or front windshield?
• Is there an object dangling from the rearview mirror?
• Does the car have markings on the windows (for school spirit) that could block the driver’s view?

If your contest will involve you driving with the students that want to sign-up, consider the rules of your state’s driving handbook. You could judge if the driver:

• checks and adjusts mirrors before pulling out
• wears his or her seatbelt
• makes complete stops at stop signs
• obeys the speed limit

Indicate participation

Determine what will show that the person is participating in the contest. You should have a special symbol like a ribbon that they tie to the car’s antenna or driver’s outdoor handle. Whatever you decide, make sure it doesn’t impede the driver’s vision or safety.

For the launch

When you promote your contest in class, on announcements, or at assemblies, you should indicate:

• What the contest is trying to combat
• What the prize will be
• What habits they could implement to have a safe driving environment and to be a safe driver
• How they can mark their car or a friend’s car to show that they participated

Judging

On a certain day, have the judges go around in the parking lot and evaluate the cars for the safety standards. If you chose to involve a driving test, use the sign-up list to schedule a time on one day that you can evaluate the driver from the sidewalk as they drive around and show you their skills.

Either through paper, email, or in person, the judges should tell each participant what they did correctly or incorrectly to encourage safe driving.

Announce your winners

Those that pass the criteria will win your prize. Make sure through this entire process that people realize what they did right or wrong so that they will be safe drivers in the future.