With the exception of 1992, more than 40,000 people throughout the U.S. died each year as a result of traffic crashes — 1.6 million deaths throughout the past four decades. With the Safe Summer Campaign, AAA wants to spark a change in the status quo of benign acceptance of such casualties and reduce their number through substantial education and awareness of driving behaviors to improve traffic safety.

The campaign is intended to improve summer travel safety with a continuing year-round focus designed to change the traffic safety culture.
“Safe Summer is one of the largest traffic safety communication campaigns undertaken by AAA Auto Club South in recent history, with emphasis on safety belt and cell phone use when driving,” said Kevin Bakewell, AAA senior vice president.

In conjunction with the campaign, AAA will conduct a traffic safety contest for teens ages 13 to 19. The contest is a grassroots effort designed to engage teens and their peers in conversations that will improve driver safety, by encouraging them to create effective avenues and messages that resonate with fellow teens.

The message and the means of delivery will be left up to the students, but could include an op-ed piece published in a college newspaper or community weekly; a PSA broadcast on radio or cable TV; a poster displayed in high visibility areas; or a video for a social media site, etc.

For details of the AAA Safe Summer Campaign, visit www.AAA.com/SafeSummer. Entries must be postmarked no later than Sept. 9.

To qualify, students must live in Florida, Georgia or Tennessee and be between 13 and 19 years of age as of July 1.The contest is only valid in those three states.