Eligibility:
Open to any 4th-grader (or equivalent) or 4th-grade class enrolled in a school or program certified by the Maine Department of Education, excluding children of its communications consultant, Garrand and Company.

To enter:
Participants may enter by mailing a design based on the contest guidelines to:

Backseat Driver Contest
MaineDOT
State House Station 16
Augusta ME 04333-0016

... postmarked no later than midnight January 31, 2008. To be eligible, entries must adhere to the design specifications on the contest form. MaineDOT is not responsible for late or lost entries, or other conditions caused beyond the control of the Department. Fourth-graders may enter as many designs as they like.

Prizes:
Seven regional semi-finalists will each be awarded $200. Semi-finalist entries will compete for a $1,000 grand prize to be used for a field trip or whatever school activity is deemed appropriate by school officials. MaineDOT is in no way responsible for any event that occurs during or as a result of awarding the prize money.

Judging:
All entries will be viewed by a panel comprised of MaineDOT and Garrand employees. Entries will be judged on creativity, originality and effectiveness of message. Semi-finalists will be chosen by the panel and posted on mainebackseatdriver.com on February 18, 2008. As soon as the designs are posted on the website, judging will be opened to the public. The design with the highest number of votes received electronically as of midnight, March 10, 2008 will be chosen as the winner. The MaineDOT Work Zone Safety Committee reserves the right to adapt the final design. All entries become the sole property of the MaineDOT Work Zone Safety Committee.

General:
By submitting an entry, each entrant agrees to be bound by the contest rules. The creator of the winning entry and his/her teacher agree to participate in a press conference marking the kick-off of Work Zone Safety Awareness Week in April 2008.