GEICO video contest will reward top high school talent to promote safe driving

2012-2013 National Safety Poster and Video Contest (Photo: GEICO)

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GEICO is calling on high school students to put their filmmaking skills to good use and promote the importance of safe driving by entering the 2012-2013 National Safety Poster and Video Contest.

2012-2013 National Safety Poster and Video Contest (Photo: GEICO)

For the contest, which is now in its 26th year, GEICO is inviting high school students (grades 9-12) to create a promotional video that emphasizes either the dangers of distracted driving or the importance of not driving while impaired (under the influence of alcohol or drugs). Videos can be in any format, such as sketch comedy, music video, commercial, reality show or animation. The contest’s judges will select three video winners, with each winner receiving a $500 cash prize.

In a related contest, GEICO is also inviting elementary and middle school students (grades K-8) to create a hand-drawn or computer-generated poster featuring an original superhero character that promotes safe driving. Entries should touch on safety messages such as the importance of wearing safety belts, preventing distracted driving and how to stop speeding. Fifteen national poster winners will each take home a $250 cash prize.

Encouraging safe driving practices among younger generations is as important as ever and particularly critical for teen drivers who are driving solo for the first time. Inexperience and immaturity combined with speeding, impaired driving, not wearing seat belts and distracted driving make them especially susceptible to serious accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The deadline for video and poster submissions is January 6, 2013. For more information on the contest rules and how to submit an entry, please visit www.geicosafetycontest.com.

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and is the third-largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States. GEICO handles auto insurance coverage for over than 11 million private passenger auto policies and insures more than 18 million vehicles (auto & cycle).

In addition to auto insurance, GEICO offers customers insurance products for their motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), travel trailers and motorhomes (RVs). Coverage for boats, collector cars, life, homes and apartments is written by non-affiliated insurance companies and is secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. Commercial auto insurance and personal umbrella protection are also available.

As a member of the Berkshire Hathaway group of companies, GEICO is rated A++ for financial strength by A.M. Best Company and ranks at the top of several national customer satisfaction surveys. For more information, go to www.geico.com.

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GEICO Communications
301-986-3271

Source: GEICO