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Every 26 minutes there is an auto accident involving a distracted driver. 

Distracted Driving Destroys Young Lives — But You Can Help Prevent It

Motor vehicle accidents caused by distracted driving are on the rise throughout Tennessee and across the United States. In fact, the Tennessee branch of the Department of Safety & Homeland Security reports that every 26 minutes there is an auto accident involving a distracted driver.

But teen drivers face a higher risk. Because of their inexperience on the road, young drivers are more susceptible to causing car accidents. They often learn the hard way that texting, using cell phones, and chatting on social media doesn’t belong in the driver’s seat.

As auto accident and personal injury attorneys, we at The Terry Law Firm have seen firsthand the devastation, tragedy, and heartache that distracted driving accidents can cause. We want to raise more awareness of this serious safety issue and prevent more young lives from being taken far too soon. At the same time, we want to help tomorrow’s leaders pursue a higher education.

So we’re asking area high school seniors to help — and we’re awarding them six $1,000 college scholarships for their efforts.

Apply Now

How Our Scholarship Contest Works

The Terry Law Firm will award six scholarships, each worth $1,000. This contest is exclusive to seniors attending Hamblen County or Greene County high schools.

To enter, applicants will submit a creative entry that addresses the timely topic of:

“How can we educate our community about the dangers of distracted driving?”

Entrants may choose one of three submission options for their entry:

  • Writing document icon
    A written essay with at least 1,000 words
  • Infographic creation icon
    The creation of an infographic
  • Video icon
    A 60-second video

We will select three winning entries from each school — one for each category of media — for a total of six winners.

The submission deadline is April 1, 2025. Winners will be contacted and announced on May 6, 2025.

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Helpful Ideas

  • Be creative in your description of the problem and your proposed solution.
  • Look for local and governmental statistics that would stress the urgency of the problem.
  • Talk to someone who was involved in a distracted driving accident for their perspective.
  • See if there are technological solutions to this problem.

Important Dates

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SUBMISSIONS OPEN:
October 1st, 2024
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SUBMISSIONS CLOSE:
April 1st, 2025
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WINNERS ANNOUNCED:
May 6th, 2025

Questions & Answers about the Contest

You may apply for the distracted driver prevention scholarship contest by using our online form.

Rising seniors in the class of 2024 from Hamblen County or Greene County high schools are eligible for this contest.

We would like your photo included with your submission so we may use it if you are among the winners when we announce the scholarship recipients.

A specially selected committee will choose the scholarship winners. They will judge submissions by focusing on their originality and creativity.

We will upload the winning essays to The Terry Law Firm’s website and social media sites. In addition, we will pass along information about the winners to local media outlets.

Yes, we are making the financial awards available to students planning to attend two-year or four-year universities and colleges.

Sorry, international students will not be eligible for this contest.

Enter Here!

You may apply to our distracted driving awareness and prevention scholarship contest by using this online form.

Please ensure your essay is complete and you have provided all the required information before submitting the form. Also note:

  1. Your written essay must be at least 1,000 words and submitted in .docx or .txt format.
  2. Your video essay must be 60 seconds in length with a maximum file size of 300MB, in .avi or .mov format.
  3. Your infographic must be in JPG or PDF format.
  4. You must provide proof of enrollment, such as an unofficial transcript or your most recent grades/report card.
  5. You must provide a headshot (in JPG format).

"*" indicates required fields

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Tell Us About Yourself

Name*
Provide us with a short (3-4 sentences) bio about yourself that will be posted along with your submission to the scholarship page.