DoSomething members completing road safety campaigns!

How Young People Are Helping Create The Safest Generation On The Road

Little reminders from friends can help save lives.

By Jackie Menjivar

While road safety still remains a huge issue for our generation, traffic deaths among young people are down almost 70% (!!!) since the 70s. More than warnings from parents or scare tactics from ads, reminders from friends are one of the most effective ways to help young drivers safe on the road. And that’s exactly how DoSomething members are helping create the safest generation EVER -- here are two examples.

Ride & Seek

Question: If a ______ is too tight, that’s a problem. If it’s too loose, that’s a bigger problem. Where does size matter most? (Text FIT to find out.)

Answer: A seat belt!

True story: Seat belts save up to 15,000 lives a year. First launched in 2017 and then again in 2019, Ride & Seek, powered by Chevrolet, was a nationwide seat belt safety campaign, where DoSomething members posted cheeky fill-in-the-blank posters (with questions like the one above). When people texted in, they received the answer, along with easy, creative ways to keep others safe on the road.

On My Block star Jason Genao even got in on it, making an appearance in our PSA to talk safety while ****ing.

Flyers went up everywhere, from schools and libraries to gas stations and restaurants, totaling over 12,000 in the campaign’s first run and over 19,000 in its second.

“Last summer, my friends and I were driving home from dance class when we were hit by a drunk driver. Our car flipped two and a half times and landed upside down. My friends and I were suspended in the car, hanging upside down by our seat belts,” said DoSomething member Amy, 18. “We only walked away with minor injuries, but if we had made the grave mistake of not clicking our belts, our friends and families would have lost us forever.”

When she was 11, DoSomething member Lexi, now 20, experienced a car crash that left her dad with serious injuries. It’s what motivated her to participate in the Ride & Seek campaign.

“Life happens really fast, and I can recognize that after the events I had to witness with my dad. He's lucky to be alive.“ said Lexi. “ We never know what's going to happen, and we can't see the future to know when moments like these are going to come. That's why this campaign hits extremely close to home for me.”

Friends On Lock

Through the Friends On Lock campaign, powered by General Motors, DoSomething members set out to help save lives by preventing impaired driving (drunk driving, driving while high, driving while drowsy). Over 63,294 members signed up for the campaign, and thousands gave their friend a spare key, along with a note that said “text SAFE to 38383.” When they texted in, they received our crucial guide on avoiding impaired driving.

The reach of the campaign was huge, owing big thanks to On My Block star Diego Tinoco, who played a (pretty steamy!) game of “This or That.”

“I have been involved in multiple car accidents and near car accidents due to distracted driving, so it is something I am very passionate about,” said DoSomething member Chrisia, 19.

“I believe that by being a driver you take the personal and serious responsibility to protect the life of not only yourself and those in your car but also all others on or near the road,” Chrisia said. “Life is too short and meaningful to give up for a text or a night out!”

DoSomething member Jonathan, 20, recalled opening his eyes to see he had been in a car accident. A drunk driver struck him and his sister, crashing their vehicle into a pole.

“After what seemed like eons, help arrived,” Jonathan said. “I viewed the mangled mess of both cars from the ambulance bay and wondered, ‘How did this happen?’”

“The fight as done by ‘Friends on Lock’ and ‘DoSomething.org’ against driving under the influence must constantly be reinforced to save lives and reduce overall road fatalities,” Jonathan said.