New York, (Oct. 1, 2015) – Today’s teens are digital natives who, on average, send over 100 textsⁱ and watch 1.15 hours of online videos a day.ⁱⁱ That’s why Toyota TeenDrive365 is launching two defensive driving campaigns that harness teens’ love of texting and online videos:

• The Toyota TeenDrive365 Video Challenge with Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms; and
• The Toyota Driving Coach with DoSomething.org, one of the largest orgs for young people and social change in the world.

Video Challenge Invites Teens to Produce Distracted Driving PSAs

Now in its fifth year, the TeenDrive365 Video Challenge invites high school students across the country to create short videos to inspire their friends to drive safely and avoid distractions.

A panel of judges comprised of community leaders, educators, communications experts, and Toyota representatives will select the grand prize winner, who will receive $15,000 and work with a Discovery film crew to reshoot their video as a TV-ready PSA. The second place winner will receive $10,000 and a trip to attend a taping of a show airing on Discovery Communications’ Velocity Network, while the third place winner will receive $7,500.

One People’s Choice winner will also be selected through public vote in April and will win $5,000 and will also attend the Velocity show taping. This year, Toyota has expanded the prizing to include 4th through 10th place winners who will each receive $2,500, as well as four regional winners, who will each receive $1,000. Last year, teens across the country submitted more than 1,000 videos.

Teens can register and submit their entries today through March 7, 2016 at www.TeenDrive365inschool.com.

You can watch the videos from last year’s winners and finalists at this link.

“We know that teens rank their own peers as one of the leading influencers on their behavioral choices. With that in mind, Discovery Education is proud to partner with Toyota on this unique initiative that empowers teens to use their digital storytelling skills to inspire their peers,” said Lori McFarling, Senior Vice President at Discovery Education. “To keep teens safe on the road, it’s critical that we reach them in the classroom – where they spend the majority of their time – by providing needed digital resources that emphasize the importance of making smart choices behind the wheel.”

Texting Campaign Brings Teens and Parents Together to Take on Distracted Driving   

The Toyota Driving Coach, developed in partnership with DoSomething.org, turns the tables on the parent-child relationship by empowering teens to help mom and dad become safer drivers. DoSomething members will receive a text message with common distracted driving behaviors that they may observe their parents doing, such as eating behind the wheel, fiddling with the car’s controls, or typing on a mobile device. The teen can address the issue with their mom, dad or guardian by selecting from several intervention tactics, including taking on the tasks themselves or sharing compelling statistics, often lightened with pop-culture references and all via text – though not while driving, of course!

The campaign’s focus on bringing teens and parents together around this issue is based on Toyota research with the University of Michigan that found that parents are the number one influence on how their teen will drive. The campaign will run from October 1-31, 2015.

“At DoSomething.org, we exist to give young people accessible ways to take action on issues they care about, like distracted driving,” said Naomi Hirabayashi, Chief Marketing Officer at DoSomething.org. “It can be awkward to know what to say to your parents if they need some help with distracted driving (c’mon, Mom!), so we’re breaking down those barriers by providing humorous intervention tactics all through the preferred medium for young people, text messaging.”

Participating teens will be entered for a chance to win a $5,000 scholarship. To learn more and sign up, go to this microsite or text DRIVE to 38383.

“We are thrilled to partner with Discovery Education and DoSomething.org on these Toyota TeenDrive365 campaigns because both organizations really understand what makes young people tick,” said Marjorie Schussel, Director, Integrated Brand Communications, Toyota. “We believe that by meeting teens where they are, we can raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving in powerful ways and help teens and their parents become safer drivers.”

The Video Challenge and Driving Coach campaigns are part of Toyota TeenDrive365 – the company’s comprehensive safety initiative that offers online tools, expert advice, local events and social media elements to inspire parents and teens to be safe drivers together.