Stearns-Benton TZD Prom Challenge

Promoting traffic safety during school prom week

High school prom season is right around the corner. Parents and teens are busy crossing necessary items like getting dresses, tuxes, and corsages off their to-do list. However, if having traffic safety conversations with teens is not on that list, it needs to be.

According to a 2022 report from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety drivers aged 15 to 19 were approximately 6% of all licensed drivers in the state. However, individuals in that age group were involved in 17% of all crashes in Minnesota with some of the most common behavioral trends contributing to crashes being speed, failure to yield right-of-way, and distracted driving.

It’s an alarming trend. And it is a trend that has encouraged the Stearns-Benton Toward Zero Deaths Safe Roads Coalition (Stearns-Benton TZD) to challenge students across the two counties to make responsible decisions behind the wheel.

The Stearns-Benton TZD Prom Challenge, now in its fourth year, pits local school districts against each other all to encourage seat belt usage and hands-free driving among its student population.

“The goal is to get each school engaged and encourage students to make good decisions,” said Ofc. Eric Boucher with the Cold Spring/Richmond Police Department. Boucher is also Chair of the Stearns-Benton TZD Coalition.

To participate in the Stearns-Benton TZD Prom Challenge, schools begin the week of prom with a student tally of seat belt compliance among drivers and passengers entering the school parking lots. Tally information is also collected on cell phone usage by drivers.

During the week leading up to prom, schools are encouraged to promote traffic safety to their students. This can be done through a variety of activities including speaker presentations, tabling events, or demonstrations using equipment provided by the

Minnesota Department of Transportation/East Central Toward Zero Deaths.

The week after prom, schools are once again asked to collect seat belt and phone usage data. The school with the greatest percentage increase in the number of students wearing seat belts wins the Prom Challenge traveling trophy.

The list of schools registered to “officially” compete for the 2025 Prom Challenge traveling trophy include:

• Albany High School

• Holdingford High School

• ROCORI High School

• Kimball Area High School

• Sartell-St. Stephen High School

• Melrose High School

• Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa High School

• Saint John’s Preparatory School

• Royalton High School

• Foley High School

• Sauk Rapids-Rice High School

Only schools that complete the pre- and post-prom surveys are eligible to compete for the traveling trophy. Additional school districts have opted to create their own mini prom challenges or are opting to work independently to promote traffic safety to their students. In doing so, these schools are not eligible to compete for the traveling trophy.

But whether schools “officially” compete in the Stearns-Benton TZD Prom Challenge, the most important thing to be doing, Boucher said, is talking to young drivers about responsible behaviors both behind the wheel of a vehicle and as a passenger.

“If we can prevent one student from being killed or seriously injured, if we can prevent one family from losing a loved one, then this is worth it,” he said. “The loss of a student to a traffic crash not only impacts the student and their family, but it also impacts the entire community. For that one person, that one family, and that community, the loss of young life goes on for much longer than just the news story. It stays with people, sometimes for a lifetime.”

About Stearns-Benton Toward Zero Deaths Safe Roads Coalition

The Stearns-Benton Toward Zero Deaths Safe Roads Coalition (Stearns-Benton TZD) was founded in 2016 as a way to locally implement the statewide TZD effort to reduce traffic crashes, injuries, and deaths on Minnesota across both Stearns and Benton counties. The 501c3 nonprofit’s membership includes law enforcement, traffic engineers, emergency medical and trauma services professionals, local educators, and community members committed to ensuring everyone makes it home safely.

To learn more about/join the coalition or to donate to the Stearns-Benton TZD cause, please email Stearns-Benton TZD Business Manager Vicki Johnson at ikeogu@stcloudapo.org.