Public Health or Safety Initiative

To emphasize road safety, campaign puts teens in the driver’s seat

Toyota and Discovery Education created TeenDrive365, an educational program for young motorists. A key component is peer-to-peer messaging via video—and with cash prizes for outstanding efforts. It’s a 2020 PR Daily Corporate Responsibility Award winner for Public Health or Safety Initiative.

Toyota TeenDrive365 - Logo - https://s41078.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Public-Health-or-Safety-Initiative_Toyota.png

When a teenager gets a driver’s license, it’s a time of great excitement—and excruciating anxiety for parents.

Toyota and Discovery Education partnered to create TeenDrive365, a comprehensive engagement program that includes safe-driving tools and resources to students and teachers.

This approach to safety education is grounded in bringing teens and educators together with creative contests and resources to change teens’ behaviors.

Peer-to-peer messaging is a crucial element.

To that end, they launched the TeenDrive365 Video Challenge, which encourages students in grades 9-12 to create original public service announcements describing the dangers of distracted driving and how they can promote safer driving. The creators then upload their videos to YouTube.

Cash prizes are a major incentive:

  • Grand Prize: $15,000 and the chance to work with a Discovery Education film crew to reshoot the winning video as a TV-ready PSA
  • Second-place prize: $10,000
  • Third-place prize: $7,500
  • Fourth- to 10th-place prizes: $2,500 each
  • Four regional prizes: $1,000 each
  • People’s Choice prize: $5,000

Over the past 10 years, the TeenDrive365 program has reached thousands of students nationwide. The 2019 TeenDrive365 Video Challenge saw registrants from all 50 states.

Additional highlights: 

  • More than 4,600 registered for the 2018 Challenge
  • com received visitors from over 170 countries.
  • Coverage garnered more than 168 million impressions across multiple channels.

View More Corporate Social Responsibility Awards 2020 Winners.

Visit Ragan.com/Awards to learn more about awards opportunities.