Amherst Steele High School Students Tackle Leading Cause Of Teen Death With Innovative Safe Driving Campaign

Car crashes remain the number one cause of death for young people in the United States. Surprisingly, 75% of these fatal incidents are not linked to drugs or alcohol—they're caused by reckless and distracted driving. Recognizing the urgency of this preventable crisis, Amherst Steele High School Medical Health Technology (MHT) students have taken action for the fifth consecutive year by launching a student-led social media campaign grounded in the Positive Community Norms (PCN) framework.

This year, the MHT students are proud to enter the Impact Teen Drivers' Create Real Impact Contest with their campaign theme: #StayInTheGame. Peer-to-peer messaging is at the heart of this initiative. Using the PCN framework, students are shifting the narrative from fear-based messaging to one that highlights and reinforces safe, responsible behaviors among young drivers and passengers. By showcasing the positive choices most teens already make, they aim to correct misperceptions and build a culture of safer driving.

Please see some examples of their social media graphics used for the #StayInTheGame campaign, which bring these messages to life in creative and relatable ways.

The Create Real Impact Challenge empowers student leaders to develop creative, strategic approaches to address reckless and distracted driving. Through research, hands-on event planning, and social media strategy, Amherst Steele's MHT students have sharpened their critical thinking and communication skills while making a real difference in their school and community.

Over the past year, the campaign has featured both in-person activations and digital outreach, all designed to spark conversations, raise awareness, and inspire action among their peers. Campaigns will be judged on content, creativity, effectiveness, and community engagement. Winners will be announced this May.

A heartfelt thank-you goes out to our local community champions for their continued support. Together, we are building a safer future—one driver, one decision, one life at a time.