Texting and driving is a problem everywhere in the world, which means it’s also a problem that affects the community of Liberty and LHS. There is no doubt that texting and driving is frustrating to witness, especially because accidents are a risk even when drivers are not using their cell phones. Not only is texting and driving a problem, but using social media or shuffling through music can also increase the risk of accidents. One way to prevent these accidents is a safe driving campaign angled toward student drivers.

   There is no shortage of student drivers at LHS. Hosting a parking lot overflowing with student drivers, LHS recently held a campaign to encourage safer driving among its students.  By snapping photos in the StuCo photo booth showing their reason to drive with two hands on the wheel and two eyes on the road, students got a chance to win one of three Apple products donated by Gary Crossley Ford. Simply by sharing a meaningful reason to be a safe driver with the hashtag #Drive2n2, students could be selected to win an Apple Watch or be put into a raffle for an iPad Mini or an iPod Touch.

   For one student in particular, the meaning of the contest really hit home. Freshman Gabby Ryal, selected winner and new lover of the Apple Watch, shared a picture of herself on her dad’s motorcycle, sitting next to signs she wrote about the different tragedies in her family that have resulted from car accidents.

   “There have been lots of incidents that have happened with family members who have been in accidents, so that pushes me to drive safely because I know how it feels to go through that,” Ryal said.

   Although she is still a permit driver, Ryal’s experiences have allowed her to have a deeper understanding of the #Drive2n2 campaign’s message to drivers.

   “I believe that the purpose is to bring awareness to driving two and two, not only texting and driving, but the overall awareness that you need to be paying attention, which goes along with two hands on the wheel and two eyes on the road,” Ryal said. “I think it’s important to drive two and two because there are so many awful things that can happen if you don’t. You can harm yourself or someone else and when you harm someone else, you’re not only affecting them, but their whole family.”

   The importance of the contest was recognized by almost all who participated and even drew the attention of those who did not. Junior Sarah Parrott was one of the students who participated, and she certainly recognized the significance of the campaign.

   “It’s to really drive the importance of driving two and two and to show people what can happen when you don’t,” she said. “It showed people how personal it can get. If you don’t, you put the lives of others at risk and your own life at risk, so it just keeps everyone safe.”

   Keeping two hands on the wheel and two eyes on the road is a message that ties in the dangers of texting and driving.

   “You don’t need to text and drive,” Ryal said. “Whatever the purpose is that you think is justified to do it, it’s not justified because you’re distracting yourself and putting so many other people at risk. Whatever the other person needs, it can wait five minutes. There’s not a reason to do it while driving.”

   As far as raising awareness about being a safe driver and the dangers of texting and driving, school counselor and StuCo adviser Melanie Crawford believes the campaign was a success.

   “Given the time constraints that we placed on the StuCo students for pulling it together, I think they did a fantastic job,” she said. “We definitely had some people who really got into it and for those who didn’t, I think the message was still very visible.”

   LHS has also been chosen as a finalist for the one hundred thousand dollar grant in the result of the video contest put on for the #Drive2n2 campaign.

   Sophomore class president Amos Mwaura admits it wasn’t easy for StuCo to pull the campaign together, but he hopes to get the opportunity to put it on in the future.

   “Dr. Adams suggested to us the #Drive2n2 campaign and suggested we tackle it,” he said. “Our campaigns met and discussed what to do for the project. Lindsey Gercken and Avery Prine led the project and did an amazing job with it and organized everything. Hopefully this project can continue yearly.”

   The photo booth, while extremely popular among participating students, took some discussion and creative ideas from the StuCo marketing and school spirit campaigns.

   “In order to come up with the photo booth, our marketing and school spirit campaigns met at the beginning of the year and someone suggested a photo booth,” Mwaura said. “The prominence of social media allowed us to use Instagram and Twitter to spread the message.”

   After multiple submissions, freshman Gabby Ryal was selected as the winner of the Apple Watch with sophomore Brayden Swope and senior Elizabeth Devanny drawn as the lucky winners of the iPad Mini and iPod touch. Even after the contest, some wise words can be used to sum up the significant message taken away from the #Drive2n2 campaign by everyone at LHS.

   “Be safe,” Parrott said. “Don’t speed. Don’t text and drive, don’t listen to your music too loud, and don’t let the other people in the car distract you.”