MILWAUKEE -- There's a campaign trying to get every teen to think differently about stealing cars for a joy ride.
Students with the Milwaukee Youth Council came up with #NoFreeRides campaign.
These teens want their peers social media timelines saturated with the hashtag to make them realize the consequences.
"He was going to be somebody and now he's in prison for nine years," said one video, sharing the real story of a Milwaukee teen sent to prison for a deadly stolen vehicle chase.
"It's no secret that peer pressure can have a tremendous impact on young people," said Youth Council President Kalan Haywood, II, a senior at Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School. "What we are trying to do with the #NoFreeRides campaign is harness the power of peer pressure for something positive, and reinforce the message that car thefts aren't funny, they aren't cool-they're just dumb, dangerous and illegal."
A diverse collection of teenage leaders from throughout the city, the Youth Council meets regularly to discuss issues that affect their peers and their community, and provides counsel on such issues to members of the Milwaukee Common Council.
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