Driving the message home, Sheriff Tom Dart on Friday honored students from three Chicago-area high schools who produced powerful videos illustrating the dangers of distracted driving.
"These videos will have an impact, they are students talking to students," said Dart.
Frustrated by the rate of injury and death from distracted driving, the sheriff's office decided to try something different.
The call for video's went out last fall, and then nearly 2,000 students voted online for the winners.
"A lot of kids are texting now. It's important to get the message out," said Sarah Brooks of Maine West High School, which produced the winning entry.
Her school's safe driving program awarded $500.
Phoenix Military Academy placed second and Eisenhower High School third. Statistics show drivers younger than 20 have the highest distracted driving fatality rates among all age groups.
For one student, the project is personal. Shaquille Jordan of Phoenix lost his uncle to a distracted driver.
"I don't want it to happen to my generation," he says.
View the Winning Entries on YouTube.com | Facebook
