The Indiana Regional Highway Safety Program is working to encourage teens to drive safely on the road, especially around trucks.

Based in the town of Indiana, PA, the safety program, along with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, sponsors three regional safe driving competitions each year. The most recent one was held in Clarion County in April.

In addition to showcasing their safe driving skills, students participating in the competitions also get a look at the world from the cab of a tractor-trailer truck, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association.

Sandy Toy, highway safety specialist with the Safety Program, said that having the trucks there is a good way to show teens what truck drivers face when they are on the road.

“It’s not part of the competition itself, they don’t get points for it,” she said. “But it’s just kind of an educational thing.”

There are three different competitions each year: One for Clarion County, one for Indiana and Armstrong counties, and one for Butler County. Toy said the Indiana County competition is in its ninth year, while the Clarion County competition has been around for three years. The Butler County competition is the newest, this being only its second year.

The contests are open to high school juniors and seniors with clean driving records. The winners are awarded scholarship money - $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $300 for third.

The top winners in the competition are invited to participate in a statewide competition sponsored by PMTA and PennDOT.