DoSomething.org And General Motors Launch New Campaign To Encourage Safe Driving Through Mental Health Awareness

NEW YORK, July 26, 2021

Motor vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of death among young people, and since 2015, 43% of teen driver and passenger fatalities involved speeding. However, young people have the power to change these statistics. Studies show that adolescents experiencing psychological distress, like anxiety and depression, report taking more risks on the road, including speeding. By practicing self-care, taking steps to improve mental wellbeing, and encouraging friends to do the same, young people can reduce these statistics and keep loved ones safe on the road this summer.

"We are excited to deepen our partnership with General Motors through this campaign to help young people understand how their mental health impacts driving safety," said DeNora Getachew, CEO at DoSomething.org. "With more youth on the road using their cars as the safest mode of transportation during a pandemic, we have to educate young people about how to avoid unsafe driving practices and activate them to address their mental health before getting on the road."

"Road to Self-Care" arms young people and their friends with the tools they need to implement specific, simple self-care practices before getting behind the wheel. The program is organized around a three-step call to action: (1) print or create a checklist of calming self-care practices that can be completed from a parked vehicle, (2) share the list with a friend to keep in their vehicle, (3) share DoSomething.org's mental health and safety guide.

After sharing the Road to Self-Care checklist with a friend digitally, each participant ages 13-25 can upload proof in the form of a screenshot to be entered for a chance to win a $2,000 scholarship. Three scholarships will be awarded before September 19, 2021. Additional details on DoSomething.org's scholarships can be found here.

"General Motors is working toward a future with zero crashes, and we are excited to collaborate with DoSomething.org to help reach Gen Z with 'Road to Self-Care'," said Hal Garling, Assistant Manager, GM Corporate Giving. "The awareness and practice of safe road behaviors can help bring us closer to that goal."