Creative young filmmakers drive home road safety messages

Published date: 26 Feb 2026

Two new short films premiered this week as part of the TAC's Split Second Competition, using bold storytelling and creative perspectives to encourage young Victorians to think twice about risky driving behaviours.

In its seventh year, the annual competition invites aspiring filmmakers and content creators aged 18 to 30 to submit attention grabbing road safety concepts aimed at young drivers, a group that continues to be overrepresented in road trauma.

The 2026 Split Second winners, Stacey Park and Shane Senanayake, who both have Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, were selected for their innovative and impactful approaches to addressing key road safety risks, including low level speeding and seatbelt use.

Stacey’s film, Keep the Tempo, uses the precision and rhythm of Korean drumming as a powerful metaphor for road safety, creatively illustrating how even a slight increase in speed can have significant consequences. Shane’s film, Unusual Behaviours, uses humour and unexpected comparison, likening not wearing a seatbelt to growing up in a town where no one wears pants to challenge flawed logic and reinforce that seatbelts are not optional.

Each winner received a $5,000 cash prize and a $45,000 production budget to bring their concepts to life, with mentorship from The Taboo Group and Truce Films supporting script development and production.

The Split Second Competition empowers young people to be part of the solution by placing their voices at the centre of road safety messaging. By creating work that speaks directly to their peers, the competition aims to spark conversation, shift attitudes and encourage safer decisions behind the wheel.

Watch the winning films.

Download Hi-ResStacey Park and Shane Senanayake - the two winners of the Split Second film competition