Middlesex County Announces Winners of the 2026 “Don’t Drive Dangerously” Public Service Announcement Contest

*For photos, click here*

MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ - Middlesex County is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 "Don't Drive Dangerously" Public Service Announcement (PSA) contest, open to students from public and non-public high schools throughout the County. The annual contest encourages teens to use their creativity and peer-to-peer messaging to raise awareness about dangerous driving, including impaired and distracted driving.

In the Video category, first place was awarded to East Brunswick High School, while Woodbridge Academy Magnet School earned first place in the Audio category. Additional winners in the Video category included Monroe Township High School in second place and New Brunswick P-TECH High School in third place. In the Audio category, South Plainfield High School placed second, followed by Monroe Township High School in third place.

The winners were recognized during the 26th Annual 3D "Don't Drive Dangerously" Traffic Safety Symposium and PSA Contest Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at the Middlesex County Fire Academy.

"On behalf of the entire Board of County Commissioners, we congratulate this year's PSA contest winners and commend every student who participated," said Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios. "This contest demonstrates that traffic safety is a Countywide responsibility that includes empowering our youngest drivers to make smart decisions behind the wheel. Each year, we are inspired by the creativity and thoughtfulness students bring to these projects as they help spread awareness about the dangers of impaired and distracted driving."

"Our annual PSA contest provides an engaging platform for teenage drivers to take an active role in promoting safe and responsible driving habits among their peers," said Middlesex County Commissioner Deputy Director and Chair of the Public Safety Committee Shanti Narra. "According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teen drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 are nearly three times more likely than drivers aged 20 and older to be involved in a fatal crash per mile driven. That statistic underscores why programs like this are so important. I applaud every student who participated and encourage them to continue advocating for safe driving practices in their schools and communities."

Each year, high school students across Middlesex County are invited to submit either a 60-second student-produced video or a 30-second audio PSA highlighting the consequences of dangerous driving. The program is designed to educate teens about making safe driving choices and to empower them to influence their peers through creative storytelling and youth-driven messaging.

The event is co-sponsored by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners, the Middlesex County Superintendent of Schools, NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety, Wellspring Center for Prevention, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, and MADD-NJ.

THE 2026 PSA CONTEST WINNERS BY CATEGORY ARE:

Video:

1st Place - Don't Risk It

East Brunswick High School

2nd Place - Braking the Law of Physics

Monroe Township High School

• Dennis Lewis
• Nakula Harita
• Peter Piccini
• Ritik Thukral
• Thomas Jude Reichel

3rd Place - Your Phone Can Wait. Life Can't

New Brunswick P-TECH High School

• Abdiel Vazquez
• Aiden Achalram
• Eddie Jacobo Zepeda
• Luis Olmedo
• Michael Ruiz

Audio:

1st Place - Fears

Woodbridge Academy Magnet School

• Anushka Patel
• Serena Zhou
• Varsha Madhusudhanan

2nd Place - Are You Really a Safe Driver?

South Plainfield High School

• Carter Lodato
• Dylan Nicolay
• Jace Gibson

3rd Place - Keep Your Cool, Cat

Monroe Township High School

• Ritik Thukral
• Sophia Verrios

To learn more about Middlesex County's efforts to eliminate traffic-related deaths and accidents to make our roads safer for all, visit middlesexcountynj.gov/transportation.

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