LANSING, Mich. -- The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has announced it has begun accepting applications for the 2024-25 Paint the Plow program, which uses Michigan high school students’ creativity to communicate safe winter driving practices through art.

MDOT says students are invited to submit a creative and original design, reflecting their individual school, while promoting a selected safety theme. This year’s safety theme is “Go hands-free. Just drive. It’s the law.”

"The safety theme serves as a reminder to motorists that new legislation has made it illegal to hold and use an electronic device while driving in Michigan," MDOT officials said. "While the legislation has been in place since June 2023, drivers across the state continue to engage in unsafe driving practices using electronic devices. Communicating the importance of this message on MDOT plow blades tasked with clearing our roads of ice and snow through the winter will serve as an additional reminder of the responsibility all drivers must take when operating their vehicle."

The program is open to all Michigan high schools, including technical and vocational programs, and interested schools can click here for more information.

MDOT says they will accept applications through Friday, May 17 and that selected schools will be notified before the end of the 2024 school year to make arrangements for the delivery of their plow blade in the fall.

"Dependent on location through the state, schools will have approximately six weeks to complete their design before MDOT staff return for the completed plow blade in time to ready trucks for the winter maintenance season," MDOT said. "Painted plow blades will be visible along various state trunklines in Michigan through the winter."