For UA student Henry Busby, a visit to the junkyard and a passion for film yielded a new set of tires and $5,000.
Drinking and driving, texting behind the wheel and talking on the phone are all issues addressed in the video by Busby, a junior majoring in telecommunications and film, who won the Bridgestone Teen Driver Contest.
“I decided to enter when I heard about it back in March because I thought it would be good since I am a film student,” Busby said. “Then, I was impacted more by it when someone I knew died in a car crash.”
Busby, a Tuscaloosa native, won a $5,000 scholarship as well as a set of Bridgestone tires for his 26 second video that showcases the impact behind bad driving habits.
“Henry’s video was well done technically. It has a really strong message that was effective in such a short period of time,” Angela Patterson-Sikes, digital media coordinator for Bridgestone, said.
“The purpose of this contest is for teens to be able to teach other teens and this contest gives them the ability to do that,” she said.
His video, called “Tales from the Junkyard” sparked from wondering about the stories behind the cars that he saw as he passed a salvage yard one day, he said.
“Some of the other films focused more on the actual crash than on the representation of the junk yard, so I decided to focus on something you just don’t see as often,” he said.
The video used quotes such as “This call can’t wait,” and “You promise you are OK to drive?” accompanied by visuals of damaged cars that had been in accidents.
“I think the main thing about road safety is the extra thought you take,” Busby said. “I know when my phone rings in the car at first thought I want to answer it, but it is that second thought you have that can help avoid an accident.”
Students are able to choose any issue relevant to teen road safety including drinking and driving, falling asleep at the wheel or other things, she said.
“We personally believe everyone has the ability to keep the road safe, but as a tire company we try to do what we can by having this annual contest,” she said.
Two other videos won the grand prize. The first video, titled “I’m a Killer,” showcases young people who killed another driver as the result of drinking and driving.
The second title, “Avoidable Accidents,” examines the terrible affects of speeding in neighborhoods and how it oftentimes results in the death and injuries of youth.
In addition to the grand prize, the finalists also have the chance to have their video showcased as a public service announcement on television stations around the country. The 2009 PSAs aired more than 17,000 times to an audience of about 66 million.
After 12,400 votes were cast through the online voting from the 10 finalists, Busby won first prize from a pool of 1,300 entries.
The annual contest closes in July; winners are notified in August.
