Safe Driving Holiday Jingle competition open for Virginia youth and teens

Virginia youth are invited to use their creativity and musical talents to promote safe driving this holiday season by participating in the 2025 Jingle Your Way to a Safe Holiday: Buckle Up and Drive Safely Contest. This statewide competition, sponsored by Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety (YOVASO), the Virginia State Police (VSP), State Farm, and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), invites students to create original jingles that encourage seat belt use and responsible driving during the high-risk holiday period from December through the New Year.

The Holiday contest is a fun initiative for Virginia high and middle school-age students to promote safe and responsible driving throughout the high-risk holiday season. The contest is open to all Virginia youth ages 11 to 19. Participants may enter individually or as part of a school or youth group. Each entry must be submitted in video format and feature a short, original jingle—no longer than 30 seconds—that promotes the contest theme of buckling up and driving responsibly. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, December 12, 2025. YOVASO staff will select the top six entries in both the middle and high school divisions. These finalists will be posted on the https://www.yovaso.org/jingle-contest/ page for public voting from December 16 through December 18. The winning jingles will be announced on December 19 and featured on YOVASO’s social media platforms through December 26 to help remind students to stay safe behind the wheel during the holiday season. Additional entries will be shared through New Year’s Day.

“This contest turns music into a message,” said Callie Toler, YOVASO’s Program and Curriculum Coordinator. “By combining creativity with safety, students can help protect their peers and community during the holiday season.”

The top prize in the high school division is a $500 cash award. Second and third place winners will receive $200 and $100, respectively. In the middle school division, the first-place winner will receive $200, with second and third place receiving $100 and $50. All prizes are funded by State Farm. For the official jingle guidelines, winner selection process, and prize information, visit the YOVASO website.

“From Car Seat to Driver’s Seat™ State Farm is committed to keeping everyone safe on our roadways,” said Rasheed Merritt, Assistant Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at State Farm. “We are excited to work with YOVASO and support the delivery of more educational resources to students to help them stay safer behind the wheel and/or as passengers.”

For more information on how your teen, school, or youth group can get involved, contact Callie Toler at 804-914-2532 or email [email protected]. Schools and youth groups can register for free materials to promote seat belt use and safe driving during the holiday season. Available items include banners, posters, “Drive Safely Ugly Sweater” stickers, tire gauge keychains, and tip cards on maintaining proper tire pressure in cold weather. These resources are ideal for holiday parades, classroom activities, or other awareness events. You can register and order materials through our website.

YOVASO is Virginia’s peer-to-peer education and leadership program for young driver and passenger safety. Through YOVASO, teens work to advocate for safer driving among their peers and to develop positive prevention strategies for their schools and communities. YOVASO is administered by VSP and funded through grants from the Virginia DMV. Membership in YOVASO is free and open to all Virginia high schools, middle schools, and youth groups.