This year over 100 teens statewide submitted a video entry into CT DMV's teen safe driving video contest; From the Directors Chair to the Drivers Seat. These 25-second video public service announcements focus on teens talking to teens about safe driving. This year's contest centered around the theme; How a Community Helps to Make Teens Safe Drivers.

The top 5 videos will be awarded cash prizes to the winning student's high school for supporting teen safe-driving programs in the amounts of: 1st Place - $5,000; 2nd Place - $4,000; 3rd Place - $3,000; 4th Place - $2,000; and 5th Place - $1,000. These prizes are underwritten by the Traveler's Insurance Company.

These 100 videos have already been viewed and evaluated by screening judges. The top 13 of those videos have been evaluated by finalist judges and next Monday the top five videos will be selected at the Traveler's Insurance Company corporate headquarters in Hartford.

I have the honor of having been chosen as one of those judges along with: Governor Dannel Malloy; DMV Commissioner Melody Curry; Traveler's President and COO Brian MacLean; State highway officials; Public health officials; Judicial and law enforcement personnel; The co-chair of the State Transportation Committee; high school students; and other parents, some of whom have lost teens in driving accidents.

This is a very exciting opportunity to discuss weighty teen driving issues with the people who are at the forefront of research, development, enforcement and implementation of teen driving rules, regulations and laws. It will provide staunch advocates of teen driving safety a forum to discuss good ideas that will hopefully morph into the implementation of practical solutions that will help to save our teenagers lives.

A lot of good ideas, programs and educational information will hopefully be generated from this meeting that will be shared with communities across the state. However, the best classrooms where this information can be shared with and taught to our teens is within each teen's home by involved parents who can make a huge difference in reducing teen driving accidents.