Thank you for participating in the Split Second Competition. The 2024 competition entry period is now closed. The winners will be notified by Sunday, 15 December 2024.
What is split second?
Split Second is a unique competition for Victorian young people aged 18-30, to create a short film to help save young lives on our roads.
Young drivers have a high risk of road crash involvement and continue to be overrepresented in road trauma statistics. The Split Second competition empowers you to be part of the solution, by coming up with an idea for a short film that you think will help raise awareness of road safety issues and change behaviours among young drivers.
Split Second has successfully run for over 5 years and expanded in 2024. To encourage and celebrate as many new and diverse voices as possible, we added a brand new prize for young people with a multicultural background.
The Prize
Thanks to the new prize, this year there will be two winners, each getting to make their Road Safety idea with a $35,000 film production budget and a professional crew to help bring it to life! And did we mention winners will also receive a $5,000 cash prize each? Yep, real money! They’ll also receive potentially career-changing access and mentoring from film company Truce Films and creative ad agency TABOO.
Brief 1 - Driving Tired
When you or your friends drive tired, it slows reaction time and impairs judgement, especially at night. Many young drivers don’t realise how dangerous tired driving is until they experience it for themselves or have close calls.
Driving tired contributes to 16-20% of fatal crashes in Victoria each year, with young drivers (aged 18-25) most as risk. Those driving on less than five hours of sleep may experience a four times higher risk of crashing.
Educating young drivers like you on how to recognize warning signs (such as blurred vision or eyes losing focus) and getting them to think about their fatigue levels before getting behind the wheel is crucial.
Find out more aboutproblems with driving while you’re tired.
Brief 2 - Seatbelt Usage
This brief is for young content creators, storytellers and budding filmmakers who may offer a different perspective. If you were born or have a parent who was born in a country where English is not the main language, this brief is for you. We want to hear your ideas that can connect with your mates, friends or family to promote road safety and educate others about the importance of wearing a seatbelt.
Wearing a seatbelt can reduce fatal and non-fatal injuries by 60% among people travelling in the front and by 44% among those travelling in the back. People aged 18-25 (3.2%) are most likely to have travelled as a driver and passenger without wearing a seatbelt, creating a huge risk for serious injury or worse. Attitudes and beliefs around seatbelt usage also vary depending on where you grew up, which may influence your decision to wear a seatbelt or not as a driver or passenger.
Seatbelts are crucial to reducing fatalities and serious injury. If there’s a crash, the seatbelt causes the person to slow down at the same rate as the vehicle and reduces the risk of being thrown from the car or colliding with other people or interior parts of the car. Seatbelts also distribute the force of the impact over the stronger parts of the occupant’s body (like the pelvis and chest area).
Frequently asked questions
Who can submit an idea?
The competition is open to all 18-30 year-olds currently living in Victoria. This includes those on a skilled migrant visa, refugee visa or family visa and international students.
Do I have to be a professional filmmaker or content creator?
No, not at all. We want to hear from all young people living in Victoria
Is there a submission entry fee?
No.
Do entries have to be in English?
Yes, entries have to be submitted in English.
How many ideas can I submit?
As long as your ideas match the brief, and you meet the criteria, you can submit as many unique ideas as you like across the road safety topics.
Do I have to have a Victorian driver’s licence to enter?
No, you are not required to have a driver's licence to enter.
If you do have a driver's licence, you must have a good driver record and consent to TAC conducting a check.
Am I eligible for the Multicultural Youth Prize?
To be eligible for the Multicultural Youth Prize you must be born, or have a parent who was born, in a country where English is not the main language.
Countries where English is the main language include Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the United States of America.