Pictured L-R: Greg Long (AM), Jessica Twydell (BR) and Tyler Northeim (FI)

November 17, 2009 -- The Lorain County JVS, in cooperation with the Safety and Education Department of AAA East Central and AAA Insurance, hosted the 1st Annual Lorain County Young Driver Competition recently. This first local competition of its kind in northeast Ohio was held to offer students an opportunity to be rewarded for exhibiting positive driving behaviors.

Each high school in Lorain County was invited to send two of their 'top drivers.' These students needed to have a valid driver's license for a minimum of one year, have a crash-free/ticket-free driving record and be a positive representative of their school and community. The top three finishers were awarded cash prizes of $500, $250 and $100 respectively.

Besides a low-speed maneuvering obstacle course with tight turns and parallel parking, the competition included a written test on Ohio driving laws plus a test gauging how many obstacles or potential threats the students remembered from glancing at slides of complex road conditions.

Lt. Travis Hughes, who heads the Elyria post of the Ohio Highway Patrol, and other law enforcement officers served as judges. Hughes said the incentive of winning cash from AAA made the competition fun and was thrilled to see teens being recognized for something positive.

According to AAA, automobile accidents are the leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 20. In Ohio, 1013 people were killed between 1998 and 2007 in crashes involving drivers age 15 to 17.

Lt. Hughes commented that, "All drivers, especially inexperienced drivers, are susceptible to distractions from other passengers and things like cell phones."

Jessica Twydell of Brookside High School finished first and secured the $500 prize. Greg Long of Amherst placed second winning $250 and Tyler Northeim of Firelands placed third winning $100.

"We work very closely with law enforcement officials to determine which of our students have received tickets for driving infractions. They are counseled and generally correct their dangerous driving habits before an accident occurs," stated Jill Petitti, JVS Principal. "Because of our commitment to safe driving practices, we hope to host this competition on an annual basis!"