RESOURCES
Motor vehicle crashes remain the primary cause of death for teens between the ages of 15 and 18 years old in the United States. While many teens understand the risks that come with driving, it’s important to reinforce the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration #RulesForTheRoad.
NCHSAA and NCAST appreciate you serving as a Teen Safe Driving Ambassador in your community, promoting positive driving behaviors among your friends and classmates.
We want to continue to emphasize seven key behaviors that teens should practice:
- Wear a seat belt, and make sure all passengers do as well
- Obey traffic laws and no speeding
- No distractions
- No unnecessary passengers
- No alcohol
- No drugs
- No impairment-causing medications
Relevant Hashtags (please use at least one)
#RulesForTheRoad
#DriveitHOME
#teensafedriving
#NCAST
Remember to use NCAST handles whenever you post as an ambassador:
In the spring of 2026, every Teen ambassador will have the opportunity to apply for one of five $1000 educational scholarships through a competitive process asking you to illustrate how you’ve helped support safe driving initiatives throughout the year. Participation in NCAST social media initiatives will be a component of that application process and could help you win!
The sections below contain sample posts, suggested wording, and relevant hashtags to use when posting. These will be updated for selected events throughout the year, so bookmark this page and come back for ideas at least every few weeks.
Be sure to screenshot and save your posts and stories so you can include them in your scholarship submission!
We understand you may want to take action shots or pictures of people you don’t know, but we advise against it. Whatever you do, make sure you and your subjects are safe and are amenable to being part of your post. Do not become a roadside hazard yourself!
Want general posting tips? Haven’t signed up yet? Click below to jump down for help.
MESSAGING INITIATIVE:
TEEN DRIVER SAFETY WEEK
OCTOBER 19-25, 2025
Every year, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) teams up with organizations like NCAST to support National Teen Driver Safety Week. While it’s always important for young drivers to practice safe driving habits, this event is a perfect opportunity for responsible teens like you to remind peers about avoiding the distraction of too many passengers, staying off the phone and remembering to buckle up.
You can use any of the images, hashtags, posts or videos below, but we encourage you to use your own voice – for example, take a selfie showing you and friends buckling up, and add the #seatbeltselfie tag. Whatever you post, be sure to be safe and have fun!
Posts/Hashtags
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Hey, teens, speak up! If a fellow teen is driving unsafely, call them out. #TeenDriver
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DYK: Marijuana, prescription drugs, and even some over-the-counter medications affect your ability to drive safely, just like alcohol. NHTSA.gov/teendriving. #TeenDriver
- There are good times to use your phone…and times when you definitely should not: Watching 📺? ✔️Listening to music 🎧? ✔️Eating pizza 🍕? ✔️Driving your car 🚗? ❌
- Drinking and driving don’t mix, especially if you’re under 21. Learn more about the dangers of impaired driving at NHTSA.gov/teendriving. #TeenDriver
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I always leave my phone in my backpack in the backseat when driving. Don’t drive distracted. #MyRulesForTheRoad
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Looking at my 📱 expert multi-tasker. I stay off my phone to keep others safe. #MyRulesForTheRoad
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Before setting up my favorite playlist, I always buckle my seat belt when I get in the car. My safety comes before my music—and yours should, too. #MyRulesForTheRoad
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Seat belts aren’t sexy, but neither is death. Let’s start a new trend and always get buckled. #MyRulesForTheRoad
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I love hanging out with all my friends, but too many in my car is a crowd. The fewer passengers, the more focused I am on the road. #MyRulesForTheRoad
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While I’m getting the hang of driving, I won’t fill my car full of friends. Extra passengers can be a huge distraction. #MyRulesForTheRoad
Images/Graphics
videos
MESSAGING INITIATIVE:
WORLD DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
NOVEMBER 16, 2025
Sunday, November 16th, is World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. As a Teen Safe Driving Ambassador, NCAST asks you to help promote positive driving behavior by bringing awareness to World Day of Remembrance and the 179 NC teens who lost their lives in a car crash last year.
NCAST will mark this year’s WDOR with events around the state. 179 pairs of empty shoes will be displayed at each event to signify each young life lost on NC roads and highways in 2024.
You can use any of the images, hashtags, posts or videos below, but we encourage you to use your own voice – for example, use shoes as your creative theme to help tell your story. Take a picture of the shoes, or a photo of you and your friends in a safe location (like your high school) and post on your social media channels. Whatever you post, be sure to be safe and have fun!
Posts/Hashtags
#WDoR2025
#LostTalents
#teensafedriving
#NCAST
- Each year, road crashes steal over a million young lives. A million dreams ruined. A million talents the world will never get to see. 🩰 This World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, we honor them and remind ourselves that every choice on the road matters. 🌎 #WDoR2025
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11/16 is World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Shoes have become a symbol of the lives ripped away. 🥾 These shoes help us remember the teens in our community who were lost in car crashes last year. 🎗️Let’s remember them and, in their memory, pledge to be safe, focused drivers behind the wheel. 🚸 #WDoR2025 🕯️
- This Sunday is World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Shoes have become a symbol of the lives lost. 👟👟👟 This picture of my friends and me helps us remember the teens in our community who were lost in car crashes last year. 💔 Let’s remember them and, in their memory, pledge to be safe, focused drivers behind the wheel. 🪦 #LostTalents
- 🚘 For the 179 teen lives lost to 💥traffic crashes💥 in North Carolina last year, we REMEMBER, SUPPORT and ACT this World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Safety Victims.❤️🩹 #teensafedriving
Images/Graphics
video
UN World Day of Remembrance
The sections below contain general instructions when sharing on your social media channels.
GENERAL POSTING STRATEGY
As a Teen Ambassador, you serve as a role model for other teens in your community. Teens listen to each other, so NCAST wants you to share these messages on social media and— with appropriate permission from school officials— post signage, organize events, and any other activities to educate teens on these safe-driving rules.
Examples of what you can do
- Post NCAST messages, images or videos.
- Get permission from school officials first, then create your own safe driving mini-posters for school bulletin boards, displaying at school sports events, or at any other approved school activity.
- Be creative! Make a video, write in your own words, take pictures, or create graphics for your posts.
Make sure to take pictures of yourself in front of posters or any other activity you do and send them to NCAST (info@besafenc.org). You could make the NCAST Teen Safe Driving Ambassador Hall of Fame and be featured in our monthly NCAST newsletter!
Haven’t signed up to be a Teen Ambassador yet? Do it now and qualify to win one of five $1000 scholarships!