With support from General Motors, GHSA awarded the Maryland Highway Safety Office (MHSO) a $100,000 grant in late 2024 to address distracted driving across the state.
MHSO used the funding to create and launch a "Local Heroes" media campaign to confront the dangers of distracted driving in some of the state’s most impacted communities.
The campaign’s strategy was simple but powerful: Use data to identify high-need areas, engage trusted community figures, and deliver safety messages in a way that felt local, personal, and real.
The project began with data. Crash records, citation data, and census information revealed four counties where distracted driving was a growing threat: Wicomico, Dorchester, Talbot, and Cecil. Within these, the cities of Salisbury, Easton, Cambridge, and Elkton were chosen as focal points. These cities not only represented some of the most populated areas in Maryland’s Eastern Shore but also historically underserved communities where the message could have the greatest impact.
To bring the campaign to life, EMS and fire personnel from each county stepped forward to serve as the face of the effort. By sharing their experiences responding to crashes caused by distracted driving, they gave the campaign a trusted and relatable voice. For many residents, seeing their community’s first responders speak out transformed distracted driving from an abstract danger into a tangible, urgent issue.
Four Local Heroes videos were produced, highlighting the risks and consequences of distracted driving. The videos ran on Facebook and YouTube from June 6 to June 20, 2025, and were geo-targeted to residents of the selected counties. By pairing the message with recognizable community figures, the campaign delivered content that felt authentic and personal to the people who needed it most.
Elkton
Salisbury
Cambridge
Easton
The Local Heroes program left a lasting mark, both in awareness and in relationships. The campaign deepened trust between first responders and their communities, while also strengthening partnerships between MHSO, EMS, and fire departments. Many participants expressed gratitude for the program and interest in future collaboration.
Looking forward, MHSO will continue sharing the videos, growing these partnerships, and building new coalitions to advance its mission: safer roads across Maryland.
