A statewide initiative to curb road fatalities continues to send a sobering message to Maryland’s newest drivers.
What began nationwide decades ago as a lesson in the dangers of blending alcohol with driving now includes in its scenario the sad consequences of not wearing seatbelts or allowing diversions such as cellphones and conversations to take a driver’s attention away from the road.
Public high schools in Calvert County have annually been the venue for mock crashes. This year three of the high schools participated in crash scenarios with the aid and supervision of emergency responders and police.
Last week’s mock crash at Northern High began with the pretend scenario of a 17-year-old male, hosting a party at his home, hearing the sound of a two-vehicle crash down the fog-shrouded road leading from the house.
“I know them, they were just at my house,” he tells 911.
According to the scenario a female driving a truck is ejected and is soon pronounced dead at the scene.
A smaller vehicle involved in the crash was operated by a young male who only suffers bruises but is later deemed impaired by alcohol and marijuana. A front seat passenger was not wearing a seatbelt and crews must extricate her from the vehicle. A rear seat passenger is assessed as unhurt but traumatized.
“Driving is a responsibility,” Christy Nizer, Maryland’s motor vehicle administrator, told the large group of Northern High students gathered around a back parking lot at the Owings school. “You need to give your full attention to driving.”
Nizer warned students that Maryland roads aren’t getting any safer with all the distractions adding to the mix of things that can go wrong while traveling.
“We lost 600 people in motor vehicle crashes,” Nizer said of Maryland’s 2023 death toll. The number represents a 6% increase from the 2022 total.
Many high school juniors are starting the transition from holding a learner’s permit to being licensed to drive in Maryland.
Nizer and two other speakers — Christy Bliss, director of training for the Chesapeake Region Safety Council, and Calvert County Sheriff Ricky Cox (R) — acknowledged during remarks prior to the mock crash that many celebrations, including proms, graduations and parties will be taking place.
“You are the one behind the wheel,” Bliss said, adding that she wanted students to think about, “what it means to be distracted. What it means to not wear your seatbelt. We want you to make better thought choices. We want to see you in your senior year.”
“I’ve had to make notifications to parents that their child won’t be coming home tonight,” Cox said.
On the subject of impairment, Nizer that there are “new consequences” for all drivers that are cited for impaired driving. Legislation passed this year by the Maryland General Assembly expands the state’s ignition interlock system program to include those granted probation before judgement for impairment while transporting minors under the age of 16.
Motorists with court-ordered ignition interlock systems in a vehicle blow into a device in order to get a vehicle to start.
In addition to the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office and the Maryland State Police, volunteers from local fire and rescue also provided a demonstration of procedures in responding to vehicle crashes. Narration of the crash scenario was provided by Joe DellaCamera, a Metropolitan Police officer, volunteer firefighter and former chief of the Prince Frederick Volunteer Fire Department.
Coordination of the local mock crashes was done by Debbie Jennings, a Calvert County resident who serves as the region safety council’s director of highway safety and special projects.
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