Activities
The effects of fatal and serious injuries from crashes are far-reaching and include the loss of human life. Between 2022 and 2024 an average of 68 deaths and 289 serious injuries occurred annually on Vermont roadways. Check out some of the projects we’re working on to make and keep Vermont highways safe for everyone.
Would you like to invite VHSA to participate in your organization’s next event? Please complete this form!
The VHSA hosts and participates in several projects and events to encourage safe driving behaviors.
Annual Video PSA Contest
2026 PSA Video Contest: Focus Drives Your Future
Vermont high school students are invited to create a PSA Video to educate and motivate young drivers to avoid distracted driving.
The PSA should speak directly to teenagers and young adults- develop a peer to peer message for those who are new to driving. This video message should encourage drivers to make smart, safe choices behind the wheel.
How to Participate:
Review the Distracted Driving lesson.
Review the 2026 Contest Rules & Guidelines.
Create your video PSA.
Upload your completed video to YouTube (unlisted or public).
Register and submit your YouTube link using the VHSA Video Entry Form.
2026 Prizes
1st Place $1,000
2nd Place $750
3rd Place $500
*Educational Support Prize $250
*This prize will be awarded to the school teacher who has the most students enter the contest! The funds should be used to support their classroom/curricula.
This year’s prizes are sponsored by:
AAA Northern New England
Co-operative Insurance Companies
Vermont Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association (VDTSA)
Yankee Driving School
Westside Driving
The Vermont Construction Association
Important: No footage may show anyone driving while distracted, holding a device, or breaking any Vermont traffic laws or GDL laws.
Brand logos can not be visible in your video. This includes vehicle manufacturer logos, clothing, or logos from background footage. Be mindful of logos on steering wheels, shirts and jackets, or items inside vehicles or along the roadway. This is important due to copyright and trademark laws.
Technical Requirements
Your PSA must:
Run exactly :30, :45, or :60 seconds in length
Be filmed horizontally if using a smartphone
Submit the video as 16 x 9 format
Have clear, audible dialogue (if used)
Be primarily your own original footage and content (minimal stock or AI media)
Uploaded video in 1080p HD or higher resolution
If your PSA includes facts or statistics, you must cite one of the following:
Submitting Your Video
Upload your PSA to YouTube.
Complete the Video Entry Form, including your YouTube link.
You will receive a confirmation once your registration form is submitted.
Submission Deadline: March 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM
Winners Contacted & Announced: April 10, 2026
Award Ceremony will be announced (held the week of April 13-17)
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2025 WINNERS!
1st Place – ($500)
Tobi Thurman, "Breaking Up”
2nd Place – ($250)
Elizabeth Perrotte, “Oh My Duck”
3rd Place – ($150)
Peyton Ballard-Charbonneau, “Put the Phone Down”
4th Place –($100)
Alexander Underhill, “Don’t Let the Music Take the Wheel”
“Breaking Up”
“Oh My Duck”
“Put the Phone Down”
“Don’t Let the Music Take the Wheel”
Employee Wellness
Many companies host wellness fairs where employees meet with and hear from benefits providers such as health and dental insurers, local gyms, financial managers, as well as other complementary organizations. Invite the VHSA to your wellness fair and we can provide activities such as:
Child safety seat fitting
Rollover demonstration vehicle for seatbelt safety
Transportation safety information for bicyclists, pedestrians, and older drivers
“Drunk goggles” that simulate increasing levels of impairment
Giveaways and coloring books for kids
If your company would like to include a highway safety component in its wellness fair:
Fleet Safety
Fleet vehicles and their drivers spend hours on the road—far more than the average Vermonter. The VHSA can work with your fleet or safety manager to offer a presentation on safe driving practices for employees and fleet drivers. The presentation, either in-person or on-line, is delivered by a Vermont State Police trooper or another law enforcement officer.
This presentation typically identifies the best practices for safe driving. Participants will be refreshed through vivid imagery how to prepare for—and avoid—dangerous highway encounters caused by speed, distraction, fatigue, and occupant protection. Participants will learn to re-conceptualize defensive driving in furtherance of safer vehicle operation. Other topics can be developed if you have something else in mind.
Here’s what rk MILES had to say about a recent presentation:
“I’ve already had a few drivers mention how much they enjoyed the presentation. [VSP Sgt. Jay] Riggen was a great presenter, and obviously passionate about the subject. All positive feedback. More than happy to get our drivers off the road for meetings like this.”
Throughout the summer and fall, the VHSA can be found at local fairs, community events, and car shows offering educational information and demonstrations on highway safety and injury prevention. Our rollover vehicle provides a very visual reminder on the importance of seatbelt safety. The VHSA distributes brochures and information on impaired driving, seatbelts, car seats, distracted driving, speeding, and aggressive driving. Often, we’ll have giveaways such as reflective slap bracelets and coloring books for children.
2025 VHSA Events:
🏍️ Wilkins Harley: July 19th
⚾ Lake Monsters: Home games on June 13 and/or 14, June 27 and/or 28, July 8 and/or 9, July 25 and/or 26
🌃 National Night Out: Milton, VT on August 5th
🎉 Barre Heritage Festival: July 27th
⚔️ Bennington Battle Day: August 15th
🏁 Devils Bowl: Date TBD
🏎️ Thunder Road: Date TBD
🎡 Champlain Valley Fair:
Opening Day: Friday, August 22 @ 12 NOON (earlier than the usual 3:00 PM opening)
Weekend Hours: 10 AM – Close
All Weekday Hours: 12 NOON – Close
Events, Fairs, Car Shows
High School Road User Safety Fairs
A driver safety fair can bring many of Vermont’s safety-minded organizations together at a Vermont high school to create an event that’s rich with information and experiences that help young drivers make better decisions behind the wheel. The VHSA and the Youth Safety Council of Vermont created a safety fair resource—a contact list of free presentations, workshops, displays, simulators, and experiential demonstrations by VHSA members—so Vermont’s high schools can independently build a campus safety event that fits their needs. To learn more, visit the project website.