Responding to a head-on crash in the rear of Station 32 on Wednesday morning June 11, firefighters aboard Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company Squad 322 found one patient trapped. Thankfully, the crew was part of a demonstration, designed to show the dangers of distracted driving. PVFC hosted the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) launch of its Regional Highway Safety Campaign, an effort that aims to decrease the number of accidents, deaths and severe injuries caused by distracted driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involve some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event. “Today's technological advances present more opportunities than ever for drivers to become distracted behind the wheel, which can result in devastating consequences,” said PVFC Captain Glenn Resnick. “By educating parents and teenagers about the dangers of distracted driving, we encourage the practice of safe driving habits -- habits that will save lives." The Regional Highway Safety Campaign complements the Maryland Strategic Highway Safety Plan by seeking to educate parents and their teens about the risks of distracted driving and how to best avoid those risks. The regional effort was initiated by BMC's Board of Directors: Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon, Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith, Carroll County Commissioner Dean Minnich, Harford County Executive David Craig and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman. "The safety of each and every one of our residents is a top priority for the Baltimore region," said Ulman, the BMC chairperson. Captain Resnick highlighted what types of distracted driving activities individuals need to eliminate from their daily ritual, including talking on cell phones, checking e-mail, texting, using mp3 players and GPS navigation devices, adjusting vehicle controls, personal grooming, eating, tuning the radio, talking with passengers, reading newspapers or maps and attending to children. "Distracted driving by teenagers is increasingly becoming a regional problem that we can't afford to ignore," said Larry W. Klimovitz, BMC's Executive Director. "BMC is working hard to improve the quality of life in the Baltimore region by making our roads safer." Klimovitz noted that in three seconds, a car traveling at 60 mph will travel 264 feet. Add one more second and the car would travel the length of a football field. In the Baltimore region alone, distracted driving accounted for over 500 fatalities and 95,000 injuries between 1997 and 2006. For more information on BMC's Regional Highway Safety Campaign and for more tips on how to prevent distracted driving visit www.drivesafebaltimore.com.