STAFF REPORT
Glasgow News 1
Team Kentucky is inviting young drivers to compete for cash while building safer habits behind the wheel.
Governor Andy Beshear announced that registration is open for the state’s second Safe Teen Driving Challenge, a program that uses smartphone technology to promote safer driving among teens.
More than 49,000 crashes involving teen drivers have occurred in Kentucky over the past three years, resulting in more than 13,000 injuries and 197 deaths, according to the governor press release. Officials say the Safe Teen Driving Challenge, managed by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, is designed to help reduce those numbers by encouraging young drivers to stay focused and make better decisions on the road.
“As a dad of two teenage drivers who mean everything to me, I know we need to be doing everything we can to keep our kids safe on the road,” Beshear said. “This competition is one way to ensure we are helping our kids develop safe habits behind the wheel, while giving Kentucky teens a chance to win cash prizes as well.”
The top five drivers in the challenge will share a total of $10,000, with first place receiving $3,000, second $2,500, third $2,000, fourth $1,500 and fifth $1,000. The challenge is open to 15- to 19-year-old drivers who have a valid permit or driver’s license and a smartphone.
Teens must register online before Thursday, April 16. After registering, participants download the DriveWell Go app, create an account, enter the contest token code and begin driving. From April 17 to July 17, 2026, the app will track participants’ driving and score their performance, according to the release.
The platform uses sensors and machine learning to detect behaviors such as speeding, hard braking, harsh acceleration, cornering and phone use, and to determine whether the phone’s owner is the driver or a passenger, according to the release.
“Using tech to offer personalized driving insights can help encourage safe behaviors early in life as we look to this generation to build on Kentucky’s three-year downward trend in overall highway fatalities and serious injuries,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “Driver education plus our engineering solutions and law enforcement actions all work together to make our highways safer for all.”
In 2025 — the first year of the program — the first place winners received $2,000.
Key Facts
– Registration is open for Team Kentucky’s second Safe Teen Driving Challenge
– Program targets safer driving habits among teens ages 15 to 19
– More than 49,000 crashes involving teen drivers reported in the past three years
– Challenge uses a smartphone app to track risky driving behaviors
– Top five drivers will share $10,000 in cash prizes
– Registration runs March 19 to April 16, 2026
– Driving performance will be measured April 17 to July 17, 2026
– Winners and their schools will be recognized in August
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