Six Missouri high schools were recognized during an April 16 ceremony at the Missouri State Capitol for winning top spots and $15,500 in donations during the AAA Buckle Up Phone Down High School Showdown 2023.
High school students and their surrounding communities won by pledging to drive without cell phone distraction, to speak up for others to do the same, and to always wear a seat belt.
The traffic safety education contest was sponsored by AAA Missouri and the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety to educate drivers on Missouri’s new Siddens Bening Hands Free Law and the dangers of cell phone use while driving. New survey data from AAA found that 58% of Missouri drivers are not aware or are unsure about the hands-free law. However, the majority, 70%, of drivers polled agreed the new law will help improve road safety in the state.
Locally, Windsor High School was the Class 5 winner with 699 pledges and received a $3,500 donation.
The 2023 BUPD High School Showdown, which featured 112 participating schools across the state, provided high school instructors with a 33-minute distracted driving educational video, driver information for the new hands-free law, and additional teaching resources. The video highlights the dangers of distracted driving and provides teen drivers with tools to limit distractions and effective ways to speak up for others to drive without cell phone distractions as passengers.
Schools were assigned contest brackets based on their total enrollment for grades 9-12. The winners were determined by the top school in each bracket with the most safe-driving pledges submitted from students, family, friends, and faculty during the contest period. In total, the Showdown generated 15,824 safe driving pledges from communities across Missouri.
“The Siddens Bening Hands Free Law is a tremendous step forward in traffic safety for Missouri, but now the real work to educate drivers begins,” said AAA spokesperson Nick Chabarria. “Equipping our young and soon-to-be drivers with the knowledge and tools of how to drive distraction-free and speak up for others to do the will help break generational, dangerous driving habits and improve safety for all road users.”
The BUPD High School Showdown contest, which ran through Dec. 31, kicked off on Oct. 23 in conjunction with MoDOT’s 2023 Buckle Up Phone Down Day campaign.
Since the BUPD High School Showdown began in 2021, AAA Missouri has awarded 21 Missouri high schools more than $40,000 in donations. Donations help fund winning schools’ Project Prom, Project Graduation, or other safety-focused programs.
Each participant signed a virtual pledge to commit to the following:
Yes, I will drive without viewing or sending text or video messages; browsing the internet or social media of any kind.
Yes, as a passenger, I will share the responsibility for arriving safely with my driver, speak up when I feel unsafe and offer help so my driver does not drive distracted.
Yes, I will buckle up every time I am in a vehicle and ask others to do the same.
Release courtesy of AAA.
