Teenagers have a lot on their minds. In fact, statistics show that teenagers are involved in more serious accidents than any other demographic. Insurance companies and first responders are well aware of this fact and they want to do all they can to reduce that number by making teens aware of the distractions they face while driving.

To bring awareness to this problem GEICO, Drive Smart Virginia, WAVY-TV News Channel 10, Teens with a Purpose and the current Miss America Mallory Hagan are coming together to let teens know about the dangers of distracted driving with a pledge drive for Hampton Roads high schools.

The goal of the pledge drive is to encourage teens to promise that they will not use their mobile devices to talk or text while driving, while also making an effort to also stop eating and drinking. By bringing attention to what might seem obvious to adults, will give teens a new perspective about the dangers of distraction while operating a motor vehicle. Even though technology is responsible in most of these accidents, parents can use applications that give them the power to turn off texting and other mobile phone functions that distract teen drivers.

Motivating teens requires some incentive and in this case the school with the most pledges from the Distracted Driving Pledge Contest will win a party sponsored by GEICO in April. It will coincide with the National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which is in April. Miss America will be at the party to congratulate the winning school and bring more awareness to the problem.

 “Last year, we were very successful in getting the students involved in taking a pledge and spreading the word about the importance of safe driving among their peers. This year, we hope to do the same and get more young drivers to take a stand against distracted driving. Not only is it a danger to themselves, but also to everyone else on the road,” said Joe Thomas, GEICO’s regional vice president.

Social media will play a great part in the pledge contest as participants are encouraged to post pictures and videos to promote the Distracted Driving Pledge Contest on the contest’s Facebook and Twitter (News - Alert) pages. The winning school will be announced on WAVY News 10 , Facebook and Twitter.

 “Because teens have so little driving experience, any driving distraction can have a major impact. The Distracted Driving Pledge Contest serves as an excellent educational tool and we are thrilled to work with GEICO to encourage teens to drive responsibly. GEICO is a valued community partner and we commend their continued commitment to address this important issue,” said Janet Brooking, executive director of DRIVE SMART Virginia.