The Ground Your Parents campaign is a collaborative effort between the Florida Teen Safe Driving Coalition and State Farm to raise awareness among parents on the important duty parents and caregivers have to model safe driving behavior for their teen. According to NHTSA, parents are the number one role-model and influencer when it comes to teen safe driving habits. The goal of the Ground Your Parents Campaign is designed for teens to encourage their parents to “practice what they preach” when it comes to driving safe.
The idea for the Ground Your Parents campaign was inspired by real conversations with teens. It started as light-hearted video PSAs series that parodied the parental “do as I say, not as I do” approach to driving. The PSA videos depict parents in the role of the “unsafe driver” with our heroic teen voice laying down the law and educating {their parent} on the importance of driver safety.
“Too often I speak with teens, and they say things like, ‘You know who’s the worst about {driving distracted}? My mom! She uses her phone while driving all the time. She says she’s a great multitasker!’ Parents should not forget that the unsafe driving behavior they model sends a message to their teen that it’s okay for them to do it too.” said Melissa Valido, Leader of the Florida Teen Safe Driving Coalition and State Coordinator for Florida Students Against Destructive Decisions.
Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens aged 14-19, yet these crashes are preventable. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), novice teen drivers are twice as likely as adult drivers to be involved in a fatal car crash. This is primarily due to lack of experience and hesitance to stand up for themselves when feeling unsafe in a car.
The FREE Ground Your Parents Kit Includes:
• Infographic & Promotional Posters
• A Parent/Teen Talking “Tip Card”
• A Parent Report Card
• A Parent Driving Citation
• Safe Driving Reminder Tent Cards
• Safe Driving Reminder Sticky Notes
• Safe Driving Affirmation Cards
The Ground Your Parents campaign will run from November 02, 2021 through March 2022. Eligible Florida high schools can win a total of $1,000 for answering an essay question on how they would implement a traffic safety project at their school. Florida High School aged teens can receive a total of $1,000 for a future educational expense by entering to win one of three superlative participation awards. In total, over $23,000 in funding support will be offered, thanks to State Farm.
All contest details can be found at: www.groundyourparents.com, and you can view the official rules, here: https://flteensafedriver.org/gyp-official-rules.
Funding to support the creation of the safe driving PSA videos, campaign kit materials, and school/student prizes was generously provided by State Farm. Funding to print and ship the kit to schools in Florida is supported through a grant with the Florida Department of Transportation. Please email Melissa Valido at [email protected] with any questions.
View All PSA Videos Here:
Put the Phone Away, Mom & Dad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ftlI_7e1c8
No Selfies While Driving, Dad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvpFo7jUqwI
That New Trend Isn’t Worth It: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_H7Fg5q8S8
Racing in the Streets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuKroTXrYcM
No Vaping While Driving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV0HBZ4Spgg
