NORTHWEST INDIANA TEEN WINS THE SIXTH ANNUAL DRIVE SAFE CHICAGO PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT CHALLENGE
Logan Ozdyck, 18, a high school senior at Porter County Career Center in Valparaiso, Indiana, won the sixth annual Drive Safe Chicago Public Service Announcement (PSA) challenge for his PSA titled "Get a Ride." The contest, run by The National Road Safety Foundation - a non-profit that promotes safe driving - in conjunction with the Chicago Auto Show, drew more than 100 entries from area students. This year's theme was surrounding the dangers of drunken driving.
From the more than 100 entries, the NRSF selected three student finalists and worked with each of them to produce their scripts into finished TV spots, which were then posted to the Chicago Auto Show's Facebook page for public voting. Nearly 12,000 total votes were cast; Ozdyck's winning video claimed 5,705 of the total votes. In addition to receiving a $2,000 prize from the NRSF, Ozdyck's winning video debuted at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show before airing nationwide on more than 160 TV stations on the syndicated TV program Teen Kids News.
Maya Vickrey, 17, of Valparaiso, was first-runner-up and received $1,000. Ethan Fragoso, 18, also of Valparaiso, won $500 as second runner-up.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates more than 10,500 people were killed last year due to alcohol impairment, accounting for 29 percent of total traffic fatalities. In Illinois last year, 309 people died in alcohol-related crashes, representing 30 percent of the state total.
"The numbers don't lie; alcohol impairment and distracted driving are critical issues - not just for Chicago, but for the nation," said Chicago Auto Show Chairman Tony Guido. "It's through partnerships with the NRSF and programs such as Drive Safe Chicago that help shed a very important light on the negative impact of drunken and distracted driving, and we applaud every single student who took the time to submit an entry in this year's Drive Safe Chicago contest."
NRSF Director of Operations Michelle Anderson added, "We thank all three students who were finalists in the Drive Safe Chicago challenge for their compelling scripts that we hope will remind all drivers of the dangers of drinking and driving. We also commend their teacher Bob Phelps for his guidance and inspiration, this year and in the past."
The winning PSA can be viewed on the Chicago Auto Show's YouTube channel here.
For more information on the NRSF, visit www.nrsf.org. For more information on the 2020 Chicago Auto Show, visit www.ChicagoAutoShow.com. For high resolution photos and b-roll, visit www.ChicagoAutoShow.com/media/online-newsroom-gallery.
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