By Lurene Heyl
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
With spring now here, state transportation officials and local schools are teaming up to stress the importance of safe driving and to encourage teenagers to wear their seat belts when they get into a vehicle.
Twenty-three Maryland high schools are participating in the year-old “Making It Click” program, up from 13 in 2018, state officials said.
Most of the program’s participants are student groups, which are asked to raise awareness and develop creative messages to reach out to their peers about safe driving. This consists of spreading the word through posters, videos, flyers and sharing their ideas by using the hashtag, “#MakingItClick” on social media.
Schools that participate and complete the program receive a certificate of recognition and a plaque from the Maryland Department of Transportation. Schools fund materials on their own to advertise the program to their students.
“We are pleased to see the growing interest in seatbelt safety, especially by our youngest drivers,” said Kellie Boulware, a spokesperson for the State Highway Administration, which runs the program. “The support from advisors and the schools only help to reinforce the safety message.”
Boulware said eight schools participated when the program first launched last spring, followed by two schools in fall 2018.
The Maryland Department of Transportation spends less than $1,000 a year on the program, which is primarily used for the materials such as pledge cards and posters, which are sent out to the schools participating.
As part of the program, the student groups are required to conduct surveys from the start to the end of the program, which lasts for four months, to keep track of whether drivers and passengers are wearing their seatbelt as they drive to school.
The program, which started in January, will end in May. The results of those surveys are then reviewed by the highway administration, where they see which school has the largest increase in seat belt usage at the end of the program.
Calvert and St. Mary’s high schools were the winners of the Making It Click program in 2018. According to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, Calvert won for the highest seatbelt usage rate at 99.2 percent while St. Mary’s had the largest increase in seatbelt use through the year, from 61 percent of students to 76.9 percent.
Schools with the highest overall seat belt usage are recognized for their efforts and achievements within the program.
“The Making It Click Program provides an opportunity for our youngest drivers to participate in peer-to-peer education about a critical safety issue,” Boulware said.
This past fall, Kent Island High school was awarded for the highest seatbelt usage. The Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) club, which led the Making It Click program, developed messaging for the morning announcements and spread awareness of seatbelt safety to their friends.
Boulware said she cannot stress enough the importance of seatbelt safety and the lessons that can be learned through the Making It Click program.
“Using your seatbelt, every time you get in the car, is the most important thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash,” Boulware said. “We should all follow the example set by the young people participating in the Making It Click program and share this important [life]-saving message with our family and friends.”
Three of the schools participating in the program this spring are from the Baltimore area, including Dundalk High School, Eastern Tech High School and Kenwood High School.
Kimberly Hall, a police officer who is in charge of facilitating the program at Eastern Tech by working with the student-led organization, SADD, said she is looking forward to the Making It Click program and all of the students who will be participating.
“This program is extremely important to me because it helps the students and staff know the importance of wearing your seatbelt and not to becoming a distracted driver,” Hall said. “As a police officer, I’ve seen the horrific accidents that have involved people not wearing their seatbelts or being distracted.”
As this will be Eastern Tech’s first time participating in the program, Hall said she can see how the students are eager and ready to spread awareness of seatbelt safety.
“So far, members of SADD have shown an extreme interest and excitement about being involved in the program,” Hall said. “I will be working with them to finalize the plan, which will include developing a way to communicate it to the student body and helping to facilitate it.”
While they are still in the beginning stages of the program, Hall said she is hopeful in what the students will take away.
“I hope they will learn the importance of using a seatbelt and not being distracted when driving,” Hall said. “I also hope they will find it important to share with their families and friends.”
The principal of Eastern Tech High School, Christine Anderson, said she takes pride in the school participating in the program.
“Participating in the Making It Click program will help us as a school to reinforce the importance of safe driving,” Anderson said.
Anderson, who has been at Eastern Tech High School for four years, stands by the school’s efforts in advocating safe driving.
“Individuals are often easily distracted by things like using their phone, eating in cars, fiddling with the radio among other things, which can have life altering effects when accidents happen as a result,” Anderson said. “If we as a school have the opportunity to assist in promoting the practice of safe driving, I fully support the initiative.”