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Winners Selected In Bridgestone Americas Annual Safety Scholars Teen Driver Video Contest

More than 12,400 online votes determined grand prize winners; each receives a $5,000 scholarship, set of Bridgestone tires.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 17, 2010) – Three college students now have $5,000 for tuition, thanks to their winning video submissions in the Bridgestone Americas Safety Scholars Contest. The company recently announced the winners of the national safe driving competition, now in its fourth year.

The three winning videos beat out more than 1,300 other entries from 16-21 year-olds across the country to become one of the 10 finalists. They then secured the most votes from the public to win the grand prize. More than 12,400 votes were cast on www.safetyscholars.com to determine the winners. The three grand prize winners and all top ten finalists’ videos can be viewed on the website.

“We were blown away by the creative talent and passion these student video producers showed for the issue of teen driver safety,” said Angela Patterson, digital media coordinator, Community and Corporate Relations, Bridgestone Americas, who also manages the company’s teen driver safety initiatives.  “These videos are so compelling and created by students for students, so we are very excited to share these messages with young drivers and all motorists and ultimately make the roads safer for everyone.”

In addition to receiving a $5,000 college scholarship and a free set of Bridgestone-brand tires, the grand prize winners have the chance to have their video used as a public service announcement (PSA) on television stations across the country. These PSAs are supported by Bridgestone Americas in cooperation with Driver’s Edge, an independent, non-profit hands-on safe driving course that’s offered free of charge to teens in select U.S. cities.  The 2009 Safety Scholars PSAs have aired more than 17,000 times on TV and cable stations across the United States, reaching an audience of more than 66 million viewers.

About the winners:
Henry Busby, a 20-year-old from Tuscaloosa, Ala., produced the creative video “Tales from The Junkyard,” which shows the deadly dangers of bad driving habits like texting and driving.  His video closes with this reminder: “Every day, there are hundreds of stories that are cut short.  Buckle up.  Drive safe.”  Busby is an incoming junior at the University of Alabama.

Taylor Deeds, a 19-year-old from Springfield, Mo., and rising sophomore at the University of Missouri, chose to convey the dangers of drinking and driving in her video “I’m a Killer,” which shows what can happen when someone thinks he or she is okay to drive, but really isn’t.  The video ends with three young people looking at the camera and saying, “I’m a killer,” because they caused a wreck that took a life.

Tom Leduc, an 18-year-old from Dearborn, Mich., is a freshman at Columbia College in Chicago.  His startling video, “Avoidable Accidents” shows the dangers of speeding.  A little boy’s life is cut short because of someone driving too fast.  It closes with this reminder: “Some accidents are completely unavoidable.  This was not one of those accidents.”

After seeing the creativity and quality of Zach King’s submission, the judges decided to name his video titled “Wooten Camp 101” as this year’s critic’s choice winner. King’s hilarious look at a distracted driving boot camp simultaneously entertains while conveying an important message.

About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM) is the U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world’s largest tire and rubber company. BSAM and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires to address the needs of a broad range of customers, including consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers, and those in the agricultural, forestry and mining industries. The companies are also engaged in retreading operations throughout the Western Hemisphere and produce air springs, roofing materials, and industrial fibers and textiles. The BSAM family of companies also operates the world’s largest chain of automotive tire and service centers. Guided by its One Team, One Planet message, the company is dedicated to achieving a positive environmental impact in all of the communities it calls home.

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