Students Turn Road Safety Into Art for Project Yellow Light

Marking its 15th anniversary, the program drew nearly 3,000 submissions from students across all 50 states. The winning entries—spanning billboard designs, radio spots, and short films—will be broadcast across Clear Channel Outdoor’s digital network and iHeartMedia’s national stations. The initiative, established in memory of Hunter Garner, who died in a 2007 crash at age 16, relies on peer-to-peer influence to tackle a crisis that resulted in over 3,200 fatalities in 2024 alone.

This year’s jury, featuring filmmaker Kweku Mandela and artist Aloe Blacc, selected winners including Hannah Williams, Lilwen Fout, and Hayden Yates. These PSAs move beyond traditional warnings, using foreshadowing and emotional stakes to reach young drivers. Supported by the NHTSA and Elephant Insurance, the campaign leverages these student-led projects to address the 12% of police-reported crashes that involve driver distraction, proving that the most effective safety messages often come from those closest to the risk.