FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
During the preview reception of a new public service announcement, "Teen Driver Safety," in a home on Diamond Head yesterday, Keri Kubota posed with a bumper sticker for the "Drive Pono" campaign tied in with the short films produced by the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition. Keri and her brother behind her, Cameron, are actors in the films.
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Teen ad campaign targets driver safety
The commercials use local actors to get isle teenagers to realize the dangers of driving
A new public service ad campaign appearing this fall aimed at Hawaii teens hopes to spread the message: Drive carefully and survive.
The two 30-second television commercials, produced by the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, uses local teens as actors to educate young drivers about the dangers of driving -- the No. 1 cause of death among Hawaii teens, according to the organization.
"Distraction is a major thing," said coalition Director Su Yates. "Every time there is another passenger in the car of a teenager, the chances of getting into a crash go up 100 percent."
The announcements come at the end of a summer in which six Oahu teens died in traffic crashes.
According to the Injury Prevention Program at the state Health Department, 76 teens died in traffic crashes from 2000 to 2004, an average of 15 per year.
"It's timely," said Wendy Wells, peer education coordinator at Kahuku High School, who helped bring Kahuku students and the organization together.
Wells' students provided ideas for the commercials beginning in February. The ads were filmed this summer.
Student Manaia Moeai, 17, a senior at Kahuku High School and cousin of Summer-Lynn Mau, who was killed by a car last month on Kamehameha Highway, helped give suggestions. She noted loud music, talking, cell phones and eating as common distractions for young people while driving.
"When we take this DVD back to school for the kids, it'll make the students think twice about how they want to drive," she said.
COURTESY PHOTO
Both ads show teens talking on the phone, eating or listening to music while driving. The two 30-second commercials will be released to television stations to air as public service announcements.
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The coalition began the project about a year ago by seeking input from teens at local schools, Yates said. Youths from Kahuku, Kaimuki and Kailua schools participated.
Yates hoped teens would relate better to other teens instead of older people.
"The best thing I can do is go to the teens," she said, "find out from the teens what they believe."
Keri Kubota, 16, a Kailua High School student who stars in one spot, saw the commercial for the first time yesterday.
"I thought it came out really good, and hopefully teens will get the message," she said.
In the commercial, Kubota's character tells how her brother and his friends were involved in a fatal accident that did not involve alcohol or drugs. Two teens died.
"I would hope that teens would realize that stuff like this could actually happen," Kubota said.
In the other commercial, Tucker Haworth's character says Hawaii's graduated driver license program places many restrictions on him and other youngsters. But the law will help him live to be 18.
Both ads show teens talking on the phone, eating or listening to music while driving.
The two 30-second commercials will be released to television stations to air as public service announcements. The stations can select which ads will air.