The state Department of Transportation announced that a team of students from Lower Moreland High School has been chosen as the winner of the PennDOT Innovations Challenge for District 6, which includes the Philadelphia region.
Now in its eighth year, the PennDOT Innovations Challenge is a statewide competition for high school students, encouraging them to develop innovative and strategic solutions to real-world transportation challenges.
The Innovations Challenge reflects the Shapiro administration’s focus on a safe, efficient transportation system and allows students to explore a career in state government.
Nick Solomon mentors the Lower Moreland High School team, which includes students Anna Akhobadze, Grace Joseph, Arwa Muneeruddin and Josh Levinson.
The PennDOT Innovations Challenge is a statewide competition for high school students to develop creative and strategic solutions to real-world transportation challenges. It reflects the Shapiro administration’s goal of growing the Pennsylvania state workforce by introducing students to the real issues being addressed by the department and giving them an opportunity to explore a career in state government.
For this year’s challenge, students were asked to develop a cost-effective, innovative solution to help PennDOT increase motorist awareness for seat belt safety and change driver behavior to improve roadway safety.
On average, more than 350 unrestrained fatalities occur on Pennsylvania’s roadways annually. PennDOT is committed to continuously improving roadway safety and deploys a multifaceted strategy that involves promoting behavioral programs and implementing infrastructure improvements. Nevertheless, the number of unrestrained fatalities remains high, and PennDOT hopes that changing driver behavior can solve the issue.
“More than 90% of the unbelted travelers who died in crashes on our roads last year could have been saved by seat belts,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “In a crash, a seatbelt can mean the difference between life and death. We need to reach our drivers and riders with that message.”
Lower Moreland’s innovation will use several resources to reach the public on the importance of using seatbelts. The students will establish an educational curriculum to start teaching positive driving behaviors at a younger age. In addition, they will launch a social media campaign and partner with gas stations, current software safety applications and health organizations to help promote seatbelt safety.
“Safety is PennDOT’s top priority, and the finalist teams from District 6 have presented innovative ideas to encourage the public to buckle up,” said PennDOT District 6 Executive Din Abazi. “We invite students to continue sharing creative strategies to raise awareness about the importance of safe driving behaviors in our communities.”
Lower Moreland and other regional Innovations Challenge winners have been invited to present their solutions to Carroll, the PennDOT Secretary, and a panel of judges to determine a statewide winner.
For this year’s challenge, the Transportation Policy and Education Foundation, an educational arm of the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors organization, the American Council of Engineering Companies of PA, the Mid-Atlantic Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, and the Intelligent Transportation Society of Pennsylvania are awarding the statewide winning team a combined total of $6,000.For Innovations Challenge details, visit the PennDOT website. ••
