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UMass Students Win Billboard Contest Urging Drivers To 'Park Your Phone'

BOSTON (CBS) – Two University of Massachusetts students wanted to show just how dangerous texting and driving is. So they took action into their own hands.

Project Yellow Light is a nationwide scholarship program that asks students to submit a video, billboard, or radio ad that would provoke change. It was started when 16-year-old Hunter Garner was killed in a car crash on June 10, 2007.

Those who loved Hunter wanted to do something in his memory – something that would make a difference.

Yellow Light
University of Massachusetts students Emma Townsend. (WBZ-TV)

University of Massachusetts students Emma Townsend and Kyle Pandiscio teamed up for this year's contest. They won the billboard competition with their campaign about texting and driving.

"My partner Kyle Pandiscio and I wanted to create bill board ad that was visually pleasing clear concise but also a powerful message to young drivers," said Townsend. "So we came up with this concept of parking your phone. Which basically every young driver would know how to park. So if a car is parked it's not in use, so if your phone is parked you shouldn't be using it."

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The winning Project Yellow Light billboard designed by two UMass students. (WBZ-TV)

The billboard is expected to run millions of times in Massachusetts alone.

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