A national video challenge for high school students to encourage their peers to avoid distractions and stay safe behind the wheel is now open.

The competition – the 2020 TeenDrive365 Video Challenge by Toyota and Discovery Education – invites students in grades 9-12 to submit an original 30-60 second Public Service Announcement (PSA) about distracted driving to encourage their peers to stay safe behind the wheel.

Now in its ninth year, the challenge’s grand prize includes $15,000 and the opportunity to work with a Discovery, Inc. film crew to re-shoot the entry video into a TV-ready PSA. Also, as a new program component, the video challenge will announce up to 50 state merit winners, the winning individual or team will receive a TeenDrive365 prize pack. Teens can register and submit their entries now through Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at TeenDrive365.com.

A panel of judges comprised of community leaders, educators, communications experts and Toyota representatives will convene in March 2020 to select challenge winners. Since the inception of the competition, thousands of video submissions have been considered, and the effort has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in student prizes. The top ten finalists’ videos – some amusing and others more serious in tone – communicate the importance of maintaining safe driving habits and avoiding fatal distractions while behind the wheel.

Other prizes include:

  • Second place prize: $10,000
  • Third place prize: $7,500
  • Fourth to tenth place prizes: Each receives $2,500
  • Four regional prizes: Each receives $1,000
  • People’s Choice: $5,000
  • State Merit winners: Prize pack valued at approx. $300

The video challenge is part of TeenDrive365, an educational initiative that encourages teens to avoid distractions and stay safe behind the wheel. The TeenDrive365 offers a range of content, tools and resources designed specifically for educators, teens and parents at no cost.