They say April showers bring May flowers, but May also brings prom season, graduations and summer road trips for young adults, creating lots of opportunities for young people to get behind the wheel of a car. And, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teenagers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To raise awareness about statistics such as this, May has been designated National Youth Traffic Safety Month. This month-long awareness program creates a great opportunity for you to get involved in your community and show your customers that you care about more than just selling your products or services – you care about their lives, and their families’ lives, too.
Here are some ways to make a difference while creating a positive brand image in your community:
Safe Driving 101 – Partner with your local driving school to sponsor a free seminar about basic safe driving, such as driving within the speed limit, buckling up, and no cell phone texting. Not only does this help both businesses get their name out in the community, it will help those who attend your event become smarter drivers.
D.A.R.E. to Make a Difference – Hundreds of people are injured or killed by alcohol- or drug-impaired drivers each year. Join your local police department or D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program to sponsor a marathon, where money raised goes to families or organizations affected by drivers under the influence, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (http://www.madd.org/).
Friendly Competition – Design a contest that challenges the young adults in your local community to organize their own initiative for the campaign. The individual or group that thinks of the best way to encourage their community to stop drinking and driving can win things such as money for a scholarship, or free services and/or products.
Endorse It – Design posters and flyers that remind young adults about driving sober. Hang posters at your business, mail flyers to customers, and bring a few of the flyers to the local schools for them to advertise. You can also think of a creative slogan, such as “Ditch the Drinking,” and create T-shirts or bumper stickers with your logo and hand them out for free to community members.
Get your thinking caps on and find out how you can join this initiative. To learn more ways on how your business can recognize National Youth Traffic Safety Month this May, visit the National Organization of Youth Safety’s Web site at http://noys.org/YouthTrafSafe/toolkit.html.
