Calling all artistic students – AAA Northeast’s annual Traffic Safety Poster & Video Contest is now underway.

This contest is open to all K-12 students from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island living or attending school within AAA Northeast territory.

Poster entries will be judged on a state-by-state basis and from each of the three grade levels – elementary, middle and high school. First-, second- and third-place winners will be chosen and awarded $300, $200 and $100, respectively. All first-place entries will be eligible for an additional $1,000 grand prize.

AAA members and website visitors will have the opportunity to vote for the grand prize from April 22-30. The winner will be announced May 10.

Video winners will also be chosen from throughout the five states. These winners will be announced April 22.

The goal of the contest is peer-to-peer education, hoping young people will learn and consider safe behaviors in traffic through a poster with a creative slogan or a powerful video the public can easily recall.

“Young people are visual; educating through art and media is an ideal method to impact today’s student. Some are gifted artists, others use their technology skills as a powerful education tool,” said Diana Imondi, AAA Northeast’s traffic safety programs manager. “Traffic and automobile crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 2 to 18 years. One student’s message could save a life.”

Visit aaa.com/postercontest to enter and to view the rules and grade-level themes for this year’s contest, including pedestrian, bike, child passenger safety, and safe driving practices.

Poster entries must be postmarked by April 5 and mailed to: AAA Northeast, 1415 Kellum Place, Garden City, NY 11530, Attention: Public Affairs.

Video entries from students in grades nine through 12 can be submitted on a flash drive or disk and mailed or emailed to postercontest@aaanortheast.com.