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2023 “Are You InTEXTicated?” Other Top 5 Finalist Videos:
• TEAM_ Lindal_Libertyville HS 2
• TEAM_Avery, Emee, and Meg Stay Safe_Libertyville HS 2

​• TEAM_Libertyville High School 1 

PLATINUM

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2023 Winners:

Congratulations to our 2023 “Are you InTEXTicated?” PSA Contest Winners! AAIM challenged Illinois high school students to put together PSA videos highlighting the importance of staying focused on the road and to put down the phone. This challenge was created to get the conversation going with young people and their parents about driving distractions. Particularly the use of cellphones, other people in the vehicle, putting makeup on, eating and various other dangerous driving decisions that can result in tragedy. These students had guidelines and rules set forth by AAIM to maintain the safety of all participants. The videos send a strong public safety message to the community to focus on the road while driving for driver safety and that of your passengers.


We thank everyone who participated in voting and sharing the creative and impactful videos these teens created. We are grateful that these videos brought awareness to the dangers of distracted driving and helped others to think twice before driving InTEXTicated.


  • 1st Place: Loyola Academy: Aidan Fischer, Yana Krutnyk (Niles West HS), and Elizabeth Krutnyk (Yana’s younger sister). Received 44% of votes.
  • 2nd Place : St. Viator High School: Sam Hargadon, Kevin Kopp, Zachary Kull, and Omar Salinas. Received 35% of votes.
  • 3rd  Place: Fremd High School: Maya Patel and Swara Patel. Received 11% of votes.

2024 Are You ​​​​​InTEXTicated?

Illinois Teens Public Service Campaign


April is distracted driving awareness month. To help educate the public about the dangers associated with distracted driving, the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists have teamed up with traffic safety partners on awareness campaigns throughout Illinois. This includes visual, manual, and cognitive distraction, and proper seatbelt use when operating a motor vehicle. 

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, in 2019, distracted driving accounted for nearly 11,900 crashes in Illinois. And 9 percent of those killed nationwide in distracted-affected crashes were teens 15 to 19 years old.

New research released by the AAA Foundation of Traffic Safety finds that even though approximately 95 percent of drivers agree that texting or emailing while driving is a serious problem and a threat to their safety, 33.9 percent admit to having read a text or email while driving in the last month, and 22.7 percent admit to having typed one.

Crash numbers have dropped over the past 20 years, but teens continue to have the highest crash rate of any age group in the country. A number of factors contribute to this, but distractions play a heavier role than anything else.

The sobering message makes it clear that the consequences of both impaired driving and texting while driving are the same – deaths and injuries.

A component of the campaign will focus on the use of an electronic device while driving and passenger safety. A traffic safety award will be given to a local Illinois high school, high school student or community group whose 30-second Public Service Announcement (PSA) video creates the greatest social impact.


Safety Campaign Guidelines

As part of this PSA, student groups should highlight Traffic Safety research that studied the cause of distracted driver crashes, highlighting teen driver distractions. According to research, the most common forms of distraction leading up to a crash by a teen driver included:

• Interacting with one or more passengers: 15 percent of crashes

• Cell phone use: 12 percent of crashes

• Looking at something in the vehicle: 10 percent of crashes

• Looking at something outside of the vehicle: 9 percent of crashes

• Grooming: 6 percent of crashes

• Reaching for an object: 6 percent of crashes


REQUIRED CRITERIA TO PARTICIPATE

• Open to all high school students (Freshman through Senior)

• Video should be no more than 30 seconds in viewing length and submitted as an MP4

• Only original or royalty-free music can be used

• When filming in the car

​     – Seat belts must be worn

​     – Car must be safely parked

         - Filming cannot occur in vehicle driving down the road

         - Videos with cars in motion will not be considered


MESSAGING IN VIDEO (*required)

1. *Influences in your driving choices

     • Parents

     • Peers

     • Celebrities

     • Social Media

     • Television/Music

     • Etc.

2. Passengers are the number one distraction for teen drivers

3. Drivers are still distracted for 27 seconds after they put the phone down

4. *Speak up, say something for your safety

5. Utilize or create your own campaign hashtags: #inTEXTicated #aaimtosavelives #dontdrivedistracted …etc

6. Any information provided to you in this letter

7. Additional resources for messaging can be found on AAIM’s website

(www.aaim1.org) under the InTEXTicated tab


Video will be uploaded and shared across social media platforms including the use of hashtags.

1. Instagram

2. Facebook

3. Twitter

4. YouTube


• You are encouraged to include your school logo, and you may also use the AAIM logo

Completed Model Photograph Release Form must be signed by a guardian for everyone participating in the project. The release form must be mailed with your video submission to PSAcontest@aaim1.org

 SUBMISSION DEADLINE: The final video must have a group name and be emailed to PSAcontest@aaim1.org no later than noon on Monday, March 25, 2024 

• There is no limit on the number of videos per school/group that can be submitted


CAN NOT be used or seen in the video
1. Clothing containing any logos or words of the brand or company
2. Illicit drug use, smoking, or vaping
3. Nudity
4. Foul language

JUDGING CRITERIA
• Most Creative
• Social Media impact
• Required messages are contained in the video
• All of the required criteria outlined in these guidelines are met

The top five PSA videos will be determined by campaign committee members. The five finalist videos will be uploaded to AAIM’s website, AAIM’s social media, and at"Are You InTEXTicated" Votingto be judged by your peers. Voting will run from  April 1 – April 21, 2024.


The first-place winning group will receive $750.00, second place will receive $250.00, and third place will receive $100.00. The winning videos will be announced on AAIM’s social media, displayed on AAIM’s website, and featured in AAIM’s newsletter.

The video that receives the most votes by 12pm on May 1, 2023 will win! Each person can vote once per day. Share this link: aaimpreventionandeducation.com with your friends and family and don't forget to SHARE the InTEXTicated message! 

If you have any questions, please get in touch with PSAcontest@aaim1.org or Samantha Gallagher-Gannon at 630-930-8841.


>>>Click here to download Guidelines


>>> Click here to download Full Campaign Details

More Info

‘InTEXTicated?’
Illinois Teens Public Service Campaign

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