CDOT Wins Emmy for Outstanding Community/Public Service (PSA)

CDOT was recently awarded the Emmy for Outstanding Community/Public Service (PSA) — Single Spot by the Heartland Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for its “Si Tomas, No Manejes” commercial. The ad raises awareness among the state’s younger Hispanic drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving. The spot was produced by CDOT Multicultural Communications contractor, Hispanidad, and features local rock en español band, iZCALLi. Entries for the 31st Annual Awards ceremony were received from Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and Wyoming.

The spot was originally released in September 2016 as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. According to a 2015 CDOT survey, 70 percent of males age 21-35 believe they are safe to drive after one to two drinks, despite the fact that one-third of traffic fatalities in Colorado are alcohol related.

“This false sense of security that you can have one or two drinks and still get behind the wheel of a vehicle needs to be challenged,” said Sam Cole, Traffic Safety Communications Manager at CDOT. “You are 400 percent more likely to crash when impaired.”

“We all like to live life fast and loud, but you gotta stay in control,” said Miguel Aviña, iZCALLi lead singer and guitarist. “Many people have destroyed their lives driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and if you don’t think it can happen to you, you’re wrong! Behind every drunk driving statistic is a person who was someone’s mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, aunt or uncle.”

Aviña and the other members of the band feel strongly about this life-saving message and they are known for regularly reminding their audiences to avoid impaired driving at the conclusion of their shows.

In Colorado, Hispanics comprise more than 21 percent of the state’s population with a median age of 27 compared to a median age of 40 for Non-Hispanic Whites. Fifty-three percent of the state’s Hispanic households speak some level of Spanish, with 47 percent speaking only English.

To download the English version of the PSA, visit: https://vimeo.com/185347117