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HANNIBAL, MO. -- Hannibal has one talented girl who's using her music and her head when it comes to distracted driving.

Kori Caswell has entered a powerful music video into the Ford Driving Skills For Life contest online.

On the first day of voting, she was in first place.

She's only 17 but she's been writing songs and playing the guitar since she was ten years old.

In her song titled "On the road, you can make or break your dreams" ... Caswell talks about life lessons from dad and just happens to talk about turning your cell phone off before you get behind the wheel.

Keep both hands on the wheel and face straight forward.
Turn your cell phone off and think of your father worrying.
I know it seems like fun when you're on the run,
but look both ways before you leave.
On the road, you can make or break your dreams.

She reminds teens that their decisions behind the wheel impact many more people than just them when they look away from the road.

Caswell said, "Many people are really connected to their phones and it may seem important in the moment but it really isn't because you'll forget what the text was an hour later."

Her father says it's a message all teens need to hear.

Father Daron Caswell said, "Adults are suppoed to tell kids to be careful, but when a kid says it it means more because they're not supposed to say it."

Now Caswell says she needs your help to win up to five thousand dollars for college by logging on and voting for her video during the month of June. She's hoping everyone will make it a Tri-State effort. She needs the votes to compete with people from bigger cities.

You'll remember KHQA and several local sponsors are trying to raise awareness against texting while driving in our Just Let It Ring campaign, so Kori's song hits very close to home.

Click here to watch her music video on YouTube and click here to visit the Ford Driving Skills For Life contest and cast your vote!

Have you taken the pledge to Just Let It Ring?  Click here because you could win a car and save lives at the same time!

KHQA's Melissa Shriver is talking with Kori Thursday, so check this story later and watch KHQA's News at Five, KHQA's Evening News at 6 p.m. and KHQA's Late News at 10 p.m.