Safe teen drivers earn money for schools

Jefferson and Washington high schools in Cedar Rapids, and Regina High School in Iowa City, are among the 11 Iowa high schools participating in the Teen Safe Driver Pledge.

The Teen Safe Driver Pledge is an online driver safety agreement between parents and teenage drivers that establishes safe driving expectations. It also benefits schools financially.

Schools participating in the program earn an cash prize -- at least $900 -- from American Family Insurance and are in the running for larger cash prizes -- $25,000, $10,000 or $5,000 -- based on each school's participation rate.

In addition, individual participants can qualify for prize drawings, regardless of the school's overall ranking. Those prizes include Nintendo Wiis, iPod Shuffles and iTunes gift cards. The Teen Safe Driver Pledge program runs through March 1. The top three schools in participation rates will be announced in March.

Families can learn more about the program and enroll at

www.teensafedriver.com/pledge.