I saw the sign

Anyone who has a teenage kid knows that high school and college students don’t enjoy the best reputation for being safe drivers. Just ask the insurance companies that jack up your monthly premiums when you add a minor to your policy.

But that stereotype hasn’t stopped two groups from enlisting students in the drive to boost road safety. Last month, the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) and the Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) Standing Committee on Traffic Control Devices announced the 2024 Traffic Control Device (TCD) Student Challenge. Held annually, the competition is open to high school, junior college, college, and university students with an interest in transportation and an understanding of traffic control devices—such as the street signs, traffic signals, and road markings used to guide drivers. 

The theme for this year’s contest is “Innovations to Improve the Nighttime Visibility of Traffic Control Devices,” and the results could eventually affect workers throughout the transportation and delivery sector. Contestants are asked to devise an innovative approach to enhancing the visibility of TCDs at night, thereby improving road user safety.

Participants will have the opportunity to present their designs during the 2024 TRB annual meeting next January. The winning team will receive a $1,500 prize and the chance to present its submission at ATSSA’s annual meeting in February. 

“The TCD Student Challenge provides students [with] an extraordinary opportunity to apply their knowledge and critical thinking skills to a real-world transportation problem and potentially save lives,” ATSSA Manager of Innovation and Technical Services Melodie Matout said in a release. “With the nighttime fatality rate on the nation’s roadways being three times higher than the daytime rate and the frequent overnight hours for road work, this topic provides a real-world challenge that directly affects worker safety.”