From the Division of External Affairs
The deadline to enter the 2026 Caltrans Safety Poster Contest is 5 p.m., February 27. It is open to all children and family members of Caltrans employees.
This includes stepchildren, nieces, and nephews who are 17 years of age or under at the time of the contest deadline.
The contest has four divisions: age 6 and younger, ages 7 through 10, ages 11 through 13, and ages 14 through 17. The theme is “Traffic Safety Begins Behind the Wheel.”
This contest provides young people the opportunity to use their artistic creativity to help spread the message of traffic safety –The Number One priority at Caltrans.
Submitted poster artwork must be 8½ x 11 inches and can be either portrait (vertical) or landscape (horizontal) orientation. No computer-generated, AI-driven, or altered artwork will be accepted. It must be created by the young artist’s hand. Also, each submission must contain the pictured Caltrans logo and the theme phrase listed above.
To enter, please include the following:
- Completed entry form (District Liaisons will provide upon request)
- Scanned image from 8½ x 11” artwork (horizontal or vertical)
- Hi-resolution photograph (jpeg or similar file) of student with their Caltrans relative
Please send submissions to the correct district or headquarters liaison:
1 – Rhiannon Montgomery. rhiannon.montgomery@dot.ca.gov.
2 – Christopher Woodward. christopher.woodward@dot.ca.gov
3 – Stevey Sparks. stevey.sparks@dot.ca.gov.
4 – Vince Jacala. vince.jacala@dot.ca.gov.
5 – Heidi Crawford. heidi.crawford@dot.ca.gov
6 – Melissa Skulley. melissa.skulley@dot.ca.gov.
7 – Monica Ruvalcaba. monica.ruvalcaba@dot.ca.gov.
8 – Michael Martinez. michael.martinez@dot.ca.gov
9 – Monique TeSam. monique.te.sam@dot.ca.gov
10 – Roland Armstrong. roland.armstrong@dot.ca.gov.
11 – Mana Ghodsian. mana.ghodsian@dot.ca.gov
12 – Robert Johnson. robert.w.johnson@dot.ca.gov.
Headquarters – Jay Connerley. jay.connerley@dot.ca.gov.
Each district will choose regional winners in each age category and send them to Caltrans Headquarters to compete for the statewide awards.
Statewide winners will receive the following:
- A printed display at the annual Workers Memorial on April 23.
- The winning designs placed in the event program
- A full color poster to keep
- Artwork inclusion in a 2027 calendar to be distributed throughout California.
Winning poster designs may also be distributed online, throughout Caltrans social media, and featured in public service announcements.
District Winners will be announced March 16.
Statewide Winners will be announced March 30.