Taupo teen has all the right words

21 May 2015

A Taupo teenager has taken out both of Taupo District Council's road safety competitions with her punchy prose and hard hitting messages.

Matilda Fulljames, 16, from Taupo-nui-a-Tia College came up with a 30 second radio advertisement with a road safety message for young drivers that impressed the judges. She won the opportunity to meet Jay-Jay, Mike and Dom from The Edge radio's morning show and have her ad professionally recorded to play on radio. She will be going up to Auckland to claim this prize on Sunday.

She also won the competition to come up with the best slogan or tag line that focusses on road safety for young drivers. For this she receives a free defensive driving course, five lessons with a qualified driving instructor and the use of her tag line in road safety campaigns. Second place went to Sian Moffitt, 17, from Tauhara College, who won a Warehouse Stationary voucher for her entry.

Matilda said she tried to come up with something that wouldn't sound like an adult giving a lecture for her advertisement. She said there was always a better option than to drink and drive. I believe the solution to drink driving doesn't just stop with the police but with each and every person to make a conscious choice not to drink and drive, she said.

Matilda said she had seen graphic videos of the effects of drink driving and believed there was always a better option than to drink and drive.

She was keen to meet Jay-Jay, Mike and Dom at The Edge. I'm looking forward to seeing if they are as funny in person as they are on the radio, she said.

Road safety coordinator Dianna Harrison said Matilda's advertisement had a powerful message, was well-written and to the point. We were looking for something that was going to resonate with listeners and we think we've found that with Matilda's entry, she said. She deserves the prizes and we hope they help her gain some valuable knowledge about road safety that she can share with her peers.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lisa Nairne Communications Manager 07 376 0762 027 839 8410

Vicki Waterhouse Communications Advisor 07 376 0718 027 484 2549

Taupo District Council

www.taupo.govt.nz