Bentworth High School student's design wins distracted driving billboard contest

Each year, hundreds of people are killed in distracted driving involving teens, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. To raise awareness, PennDOT and a major insurance company sponsored a contest where teens came up with a billboard message to try to keep kids focused on the road.

The billboard towers over Route 70 eastbound near Bentleyville, Washington County. It says, "Save that text. Save that snap. Save your life, drive safely." The winning words come from the mind of a Bentworth senior.

"I was just in class and I was on my phone, and I just received a text from somebody," Yeshua Biu said. 

He saved the message and it was the seed for the billboard. Biu entered a contest sponsored by PennDOT, the Highway Safety Network and State Farm Insurance.

"They are encouraged to create a design for a billboard that discourages distracted driving," said PennDOT safety press officer Emily Swecker.

Called the distracted driving billboard contest, the winner got $1,000, as did the school. In this case, Biu and Bentworth High School came out on top.

"We're really happy to have Bentworth two years in a row winning this billboard program," said Bob Bozovich with State Farm Insurance.

Schools from Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette and Greene counties were eligible to enter. 

The message to save that text, save that, snap, save your life and drive safely sits above Route 70 at the exit along Lovett Road.

"The design itself is so nice. What I like best about it is that it's very simple and to the point," said Bentworth High School principal Breanna Bell.

Biu says he plans on saving the money.