For Immediate Release
California Casualty
Mark Goldberg, 719.532.8436
mgoldberg@calcas.com
 
Impact Teen Drivers
Kelly Browning, Ph.D., 916.733.7432
kbrowning@impactteendrivers.org
 
 

$15,000 Awarded in National “Create Real Impact” Teen Safe Driving Campaign

 

Impact Teen DriversSan Mateo, CA, April 5, 2017 – After another impressive amount and quality of entries, Impact Teen Drivers and California Casualty are proud to announce the winners of the Spring 2017 Create Real Impact contest, who received a total of $15,000. Create Real Impact challenges students to address the dangers of distracted driving in creative ways that will resonate with other young drivers.

Educational grants of $1,500 were awarded to:

  • Chloe Howes, Glendale, CA, in the writing category for the essay, “A Different Perspective”
  • Everen Graves, San Diego, CA, in the music category for the song “For What You Love”
  • Grace Schmidt, St. Louis, MO, in the video category for “Reaction Time”
  • William Marsh, Pittsburgh, PA, in the art category for the poster “Every Glance a Chance”
  • Pablo Morales, Gilberts, IL, in the Spanish category for the video “Concentrate En Manejar

Based on the number of entries, winning schools were West Campus High School in Sacramento, California; Fairless High School in Navarre, Ohio; and Liberty High School in Hillsboro, Oregon. Each school will receive $1,000.

The contest encourages peer-to-peer messages and creative expression from students to help stem the tide of distracted and reckless driving, the number one killer of young drivers.

Preventing inattentive driving is more important than ever. The National Safety Council has issued a call to action after a sudden and dramatic rise in traffic deaths the past two years, many caused by reckless actions or drivers not paying attention to the road.

“The Create Real Impact contest is a creative way to empower youth to develop life-saving messaging which is both relevant and effective at reaching peers in their social media comfort zone,” said Kelly Browning, Ph.D., Executive Director, Impact Teen Drivers. Students ages 14-22 were invited to offer their creative solutions to this critical teen driving danger with essays, artwork, videos and music. More than 1,500 submissions were received and winners were determined by a panel of judges and by online voting for prizes ranging from $500 to $1,500.

The winning entries can be viewed at www.createrealimpact.com.

Impact Teen Drivers has reached more than two million teens since 2007 and the Create Real Impact contest began in 2009. California Casualty is a founding partner of the nonprofit and continues to provide support for the contest. California Casualty representatives will help present checks to the winning schools and awardees.

“The importance of this contest can’t be overstated,” said California Casualty CEO Beau Brown. “While insurance can replace a mangled vehicle, we can’t replace a teenager’s life. In a split second, everything for that family changes forever; it’s a terrible tragedy that no one should endure.”

In a further effort to make roads safer, California Casualty is also encouraging educators to set a good example for their students and families by taking a pledge to drive focused, and register to win a Ford* Focus car. Details about the Promise to Drive Focused campaign can be found at www.drivesafepromise.com.

The 2017 Fall Create Real Impact contest will take place August through October. Entries will be taken at www.createrealimpact.com.

Headquartered in San Mateo, California, with Service Centers in Arizona, Colorado and Kansas, California Casualty provides auto and home insurance to educators, firefighters, law enforcement and nurses across the country. Founded in 1914, California Casualty has been led by four generations of the Brown family. To learn more about California Casualty, or to request an auto insurance quote, please visit www.calcas.com or call 1.800.800.9410.