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Missouri businesses were recently invited to compete for cash prizes and help make our roadways safer in the inaugural Buckle Up Phone Down (BUPD) Business Showdown, sponsored by AAA Missouri and the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, in collaboration with Missouri Employers Mutual, the Governors Highway Safety Association, and General Motors.

The program aimed to educate drivers on the dangers of cell phone use while driving and offer solutions for preventing distractions behind the wheel. Businesses asked employees to watch a distracted driving prevention video, submit an online BUPD pledge and adopt a cell phone use driving policy.

The showdown winners were announced at the Missouri State Capitol on Monday, April 24, 2023, as part of the AAA Missouri Distracted Driving Awareness Day, in conjunction with April’s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

Congratulations to the following winners:

2023 BUPD Business Showdown Winners

1^st Place and $7,500 – City of Sedalia | MEM Policyholder

“Initially, we only planned to show the video to our city drivers, but after watching it, we felt it necessary that everyone in the city participate.”
– Shannon Ramey-Trull, Director of Human Resources, City of Sedalia

2^nd Place and $6,000 – Central Missouri Electric Cooperative

3^rd Place and $5,000 – Cottleville Fire Protection District | MEM Policyholder

BUPD Business Showdown Honorable Mentions

• Chariton Valley
• Cooper County Public Health Center
• Extreme Electrical Contractors
• Putnam County Health Department
• Three Stone Homes
• Two Men and a Truck
• UtiliSource LLC

The BUPD Business Showdown reached 47 Missouri businesses/organizations and more than 1,200 participants. We commend our policyholder’s commitment to workplace safety. They made up 25% of the showdown participants, including:

• Cedar Hill Fire Protection District
• Champion Precast Inc
• City of Branson
• City of Sedalia
• Cooper County Public Health Center
• Cottleville Fire Protection District
• Countywide Asset & Auto Recovery LP
• Excelsior Springs Hospital
• Jefferson City Housing Authority
• Pleasant Hope School District
• Putnam County Health Department
• Louis Zoological Park
• Three Stone Homes

Thank you to all participants for encouraging your employees to be responsible drivers and making Missouri roads safer for everyone!