MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ – Middlesex County proudly announced the winners of the 2025 “Don’t Drive Dangerously” Public Service Announcement (PSA) contest, recognizing the impactful work of local high school students in promoting safe driving habits. The competition, open to all public and non-public high schools in the County, celebrated student-produced videos and audio PSAs aimed at educating peers about the dangers of reckless driving.
The awards ceremony, held on Monday, May 19, 2025, at the Middlesex County Fire Academy, honored the winning teams and individuals. In the highly competitive Video category, South Plainfield High School secured first place. North Brunswick High School earned second place, and Monroe Township High School took third. For the Audio category, Woodbridge Academy Magnet School claimed the top spot, followed by St. Joseph High School in second place and South Plainfield High School in third.
Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios extended his gratitude to all participants, emphasizing the program’s vital role. “This program empowers the next generation of drivers to take the lead in promoting safe driving habits,” said Commissioner Director Rios. “Through creativity and powerful storytelling, our youth are helping to save lives and create a culture of responsibility on our roads.”
Deputy Director Shanti Narra, Chair of the County’s Public Safety and Health Committee, highlighted the critical issue of distracted driving. “Distracted driving is the number one cause of fatal and serious injury crashes—killing approximately 3,000 people and injuring more than 400,000 nationwide in 2024 alone,” stated Deputy Director Narra. She commended the students, saying, “As young drivers, you can set an example of how to drive safely, and that’s exactly what you’ve done through your PSAs. Thank you for contributing to our shared mission to make our roads safer for everyone.”
The PSA contest is a key component of Middlesex County’s broader public safety initiatives, including Vision Zero, a comprehensive county-wide strategy dedicated to eliminating traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries. To combat the leading cause of traffic fatalities in the region—distracted driving—the County has launched the “60 to Zero” public awareness campaign. Residents are encouraged to learn more, take the pledge, and support the County’s goal of zero traffic fatalities by visiting VisionZero here at Discover Middlesex.
Each year, high schools across the County are invited to submit either a 60-second student-produced video or a 30-second audio PSA. The contest is specifically designed to educate teens and their peers about the profound and often life-altering consequences of dangerous driving, while also fostering positive peer influence behind the wheel.
The annual event is a collaborative effort, 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, Catch You Later Foundation, and MADD-NJ.
The full list of 2025 PSA contest winners includes:
Video:
- 1st Place – South Plainfield High School: Isaiah Taitt, Jason Heller, Daniel Dowker, Michael Lugo, Daniel Swartz
- 2nd Place – North Brunswick High School: Caleb Waszaj, Angel Rodriguez Reyes, Farrah Belton, Hamid Jalloh, Julia Santiago
- 3rd Place – Monroe Township High School: Iman Adam, Jasmin Chaquor, Zachary Fornal, Dennis Lewis, Angel Ramos Urizar
Audio:
- 1st Place – Woodbridge Academy Magnet School: Adithi Santhosh Kumar, Victoria Bartusik, Mridula Srinivas, Katie Chen
- 2nd Place – St. Joseph High School: Stephen Horan
- 3rd Place – South Plainfield High School: Gabriel Lotano, Vincent Vo, Jace Gibson, Bryce English, Alex Ndegwa
To learn more about Vision Zero and Middlesex County’s ongoing efforts to eliminate traffic-related deaths, please visit middlesexcountynj.gov or discovermiddlesex.com/VisionZero.
