Teenage drivers can participate in the Safe Teen Driving Challenge and possibly win a share of a cash prize.
“Team Kentucky is calling on all teen drivers to participate in the Safe Teen Driving Challenge and compete for a share of $5,000 in cash prizes in an effort to improve highway safety and reduce crashes,” the governor’s office said.
Gov. Andy Beshear joined transportation officials and partners from AAA Blue Grass, AAA East Central and Cambridge Mobile Telematics at Franklin County High School to announce the registration start for the challenge.
Over the past three years, Kentucky roads have seen more than 47,000 crashes involving teen drivers, resulting in over 13,000 injuries and 210 tragic deaths, officials said.
The Safe Teen Driving Challenge, managed by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), aims to change that by encouraging young drivers to build better habits and stay focused behind the wheel.
“As governor, but also as the dad of two teenagers who I love more than anything, making sure all our drivers are safe on the roadways is a top priority,” Beshear said. “This new contest is a positive incentive for new drivers to be as safe as possible and to win a cash prize and be named Kentucky’s safest teen driver. We want this generation to be leaders in helping us have fewer crashes and fatalities.”
The challenge rewards the top four drivers with cash prizes, sponsored by AAA Blue Grass and AAA East Central:
- 1st Place: $2,000
- 2nd Place: $1,500
- 3rd Place: $1,000
- 4th Place: $500
Winners will be announced in April, and their accomplishments will be celebrated as part of Kentucky’s ongoing efforts to improve road safety.
“The ultimate reward for safe driving is protecting yourself and others on the road,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “This challenge helps teens build habits that will last a lifetime and aid in our mission to reduce preventable crashes.”
How to join
This challenge is open to 16- to 19-year-old drivers with a valid permit or driver’s license and a smartphone. Parental consent is required for drivers under 18.
To join, teens simply:
- Visit kentuckyhighwaysafety.com/safe-teen-driving-challenge/ to register until Friday, January 24 (cut-off is 11:59 p.m.).
- Download the DriveWell GoTM app, create a new account, and enter the contest token code.
- Drive safe, track your performance, and compete for the chance to win a prize.
How it works
The app, powered by Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), uses smartphone sensor data to identify risky behaviors like speeding, hard braking, harsh acceleration, cornering and phone use, the governor’s office said. Teens can track their progress and see how they rank on the app’s leaderboard, updated every two weeks, to provide valuable data to help young drivers become more aware of their habits behind the wheel.
Driving performance will be measured from January 25 to March 31, 2025, giving participants plenty of time to compete for the top spots.
The app uses machine learning to identify driving behaviors from sensor data and transform them into insights. The platform automatically determines if a person is in a vehicle and calculates if they’re the driver or passenger with 97 percent accuracy.
For more information and to register, visit https://kentuckyhighwaysafety.com/safe-teen-driving-challenge/
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
