Road safety was the message at one Montgomery County, Maryland, high school Thursday 鈥� a message driven home by the news a student was hit by a vehicle and suffered minor injuries earlier that morning.
The safety event, called 鈥淒riving It Home,鈥� was held at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring.
鈥淭his effort is about how do you 鈥� have a big education campaign that teaches students good driving habits early,鈥� said Montgomery County Council member Will Jawando. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 kind of a gap right now.鈥�
Jawando said that since this class of seniors began high school in 2016, 803 pedestrians, cyclists and vehicle occupants were killed or seriously injured on Montgomery County roads.
The female student hit Thursday was crossing University Boulevard and suffered a foot injury, according to the school鈥檚 principal.
Fire Chief Scott Goldstein additionally stressed the importance of being visible and aware as a pedestrian.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about five times a day in Montgomery County we run a pedestrian injury,鈥� he said.
The 鈥淒riving It Home鈥� program was created by Prince George鈥檚 County Council member Monique Anderson-Walker, who spoke to the students about seat belt use, texting and driving, speeding and impairment from medicines.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e sort of drilled this into our heads since the beginning of high school,鈥� said student Daniel Nabity. 鈥淚 believe it鈥檚 effective, even though some people don鈥檛 listen.”
