A Streets, Art, SAFE Challenge gives a set, short period of time to create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) based on a provided topic. It’s a fast-paced, real-world experience where you can sharpen skills and bring creative ideas to life in a deadline driven scenario.
Slow Down,
Move Over
The Slow Down, Move Over Challenge gives high school students the opportunity to learn about an important traffic safety issue and use their creativity to help make our roads safer.
Students will create an original 30-second public service announcement (PSA) that encourages drivers to slow down and move over when approaching roadside workers and vehicles.
The challenge is designed as a shorter Streets, Art, SAFE competition with its own awards and cash prizes.
About The Challenge
Roadside workers perform essential jobs along some of the busiest and most dangerous parts of our roadways.
Through the Slow Down, Move Over Challenge, students will learn why slowing down, moving over, staying alert, and giving roadside workers space are important actions drivers can take to help protect lives.
Students are encouraged to approach the topic from a teen perspective and create a positive, memorable message that shows how responsible driving choices can make a difference.
Participating students will also have access to educational resources, approved footage, and special filming opportunities to help bring their PSA ideas to life.
Challenge Schedule
December 2026
December 16th - Registration opens.
January 2027
January 14th - Registration closes
January 20th - Final submissions open
January 29th - Final submissions close
February 2027
February 2027
February 10th - Winners announced
January 2027
Rules and Guidelines
PSAs must be 30 seconds or less. The 30-second limit includes the required end screen provided by Streets, Art, SAFE.
Videos must be created and submitted in landscape orientation.
The official Streets, Art, SAFE end screen must be included in the final PSA.
All entries must be original student work. Students should be the primary creators of the concept, filming, editing, and overall final PSA.
The PSA must clearly communicate a Slow Down, Move Over safety message. The message should be accurate, easy to understand, and encourage safer behavior around roadside workers and vehicles.
Students should approach the topic from their own perspective. Creativity, originality, and messages that connect with teen and community audiences are encouraged.
Safety must come first during production. Students may not place themselves, their team members, actors, or anyone else in danger for the purpose of filming.
Students may not film in active traffic lanes, highway shoulders, active work zones, or restricted roadside areas unless participating in an officially organized and supervised by SAFE filming opportunity.
During official filming opportunities, students must follow all instructions provided by Streets, Art, SAFE staff, AAA, and other participating challenge partners.
Students should never attempt to recreate roadside assistance, highway work, emergency response, or work-zone situations on an active roadway.
Students may use approved footage and B-roll provided through the Slow Down, Move Over Challenge. Any usage guidelines provided with these materials must be followed.
Any music, images, video footage, graphics, or other materials not created by the student must be properly licensed, approved for use, or provided through the challenge.
Entries must be appropriate for public distribution, including television, social media, schools, and other digital platforms.
Entries may not contain discriminatory, hateful, sexually explicit, excessively violent, or otherwise inappropriate content.
All applicable laws must be followed while creating the PSA.
Streets, Art, SAFE reserves the right to disqualify entries that do not follow the competition rules, technical requirements, or safety guidelines.
Step 1 - Learn About Slow Down, Move Over
1. Slow Down, Move Over Educational Resources
Start here to learn more about Slow Down, Move Over and why it matters. Explore the educational materials provided by our challenge partners to better understand roadside safety and develop an accurate, meaningful message for your PSA.
2. Caltrans Work Zone Gallery
Explore the Caltrans Work Zone Gallery for photographs of transportation workers, equipment, and work zones. These images can help you understand the environments where roadside and highway workers do their jobs.
Explore the Caltrans Work Zone Gallery
Please verify usage permissions before incorporating images from this gallery into your PSA.
3. Slow Down, Move Over B-Roll and Video Footage
Need footage for your PSA? We've got you covered!
AAA has compiled Slow Down, Move Over videos and B-roll that you can use to help tell your story. If you're unable to attend an in-person filming opportunity, you can use this footage as an alternative to capture roadside safety scenes for your PSA.
Before developing your PSA, take some time to understand Slow Down, Move Over and why it matters.
Students will receive educational resources from Streets, Art, SAFE and challenge partners to help them research the topic and make sure the information included in their PSA is accurate.
AAA has also provided Slow Down, Move Over videos and B-roll that may be available for students to use in their projects. Caltrans has identified additional work-zone images and footage that may help students understand the environments and people these laws are designed to protect.
Resources
Step 2 - Develop Your Idea
Once you understand the issue, decide how you want to communicate the message.
Your PSA should do more than simply tell people to "Slow Down, Move Over." Think about how you can make the message memorable and relevant to your audience.
Consider:
Who is your target audience?
What do you want viewers to learn?
What action do you want viewers to take?
What will happen during your PSA?
How will you communicate your message in 30 seconds or less?
What will make your PSA stand out?
How can you communicate the message from a teen perspective?
Your PSA can be dramatic, funny, emotional, unexpected, or inspirational, as long as the safety message remains accurate and clear.
Step 3 - Create Your Treatment
Before filming, teams will develop a short treatment explaining their PSA concept.
A treatment is a brief written description of what you plan to create. It is not your final script.
Your treatment should explain:
Your main Slow Down, Move Over message
Your target audience
What happens in your PSA
Where your PSA takes place
How the story or concept develops
How your PSA ends
What you want viewers to think, feel, or do after watching
Your treatment will help you organize your idea before moving into production.
Step 4 - Register
To participate in the Slow Down, Move Over Challenge, students must complete the official registration form by DATE.
Teams will be asked to provide information including:
School
Teacher or advisor
Student team members
PSA title
PSA treatment
Contact information
Interest in participating in a special filming opportunity
Step 5 - Prepare Your PSA
Once your concept is ready, start planning your production.
Before filming, we recommend preparing:
Script
Storyboard
Shot list
Filming locations
Cast
Props and costumes
Production schedule
Music and sound
Any approved B-roll or challenge footage you plan to use
Remember that you only have 30 seconds, including the required end screen.
Every shot should help communicate your message.
Step 6 - Film and Edit
Now it is time to bring your PSA to life.
Your final video should be:
Landscape orientation
30 seconds maximum
Clear and easy to understand
Original
Appropriate for public distribution
Focused on the Slow Down, Move Over safety message
Make sure to leave enough time in your edit for the official Streets, Art, SAFE end screen.
The required end screen will be provided to participating students.
Students will have access to approved B-roll and footage provided by challenge partners that can be used in their PSA. These materials will be available in the Resources section of this page.
Important Safety Information
Students should never attempt to recreate roadside assistance, highway work, emergency response, or work-zone situations on an active roadway.
Do not enter traffic lanes, highway shoulders, active work zones, or restricted areas to film your PSA.
All specialized filming environments must be accessed through an official Streets, Art, SAFE filming opportunity or another properly authorized location.
Step 7 - Final Submission
Final PSAs must be submitted by January 29th.
Students will complete the official Slow Down, Move Over Challenge Final Submission Form and upload their finished PSA.
Your final submission will include:
Final 30-second PSA
Student and team information
School information
Required permissions and releases
Credits for any outside materials or approved footage used
Confirmation that your PSA follows all challenge rules
Awards and Cash Prizes
The top PSAs, as selected by our panel of judges, will receive:
Gold Award
Silver Award
Bronze Award
Winning teams will receive:
Cash prizes
Certificates of Achievement
Screening at the annual Streets, Art, SAFE Awards Ceremony
How Winners Are Selected
Film industry professionals, media specialists, and traffic safety experts will evaluate each PSA using the official judging criteria.
Judges will consider:
Creativity and originality
Storytelling
Production quality
Accuracy of Slow Down, Move Over safety information
Overall effectiveness of the message.
Questions?
Reach out to Constanza Berber—the Streets, Art, SAFE Program Manager—if you have any questions about this special challenge.
We hope you enjoy this opportunity and welcome your feedback on how it goes!