Barksdale joins the “One Text or Call Could Wreck It All” campaign

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jannelle Dickey
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  With April being National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the 2nd Security Forces Squadron showed their support by recently joining the “One Text or Call Could Wreck It All” campaign.

2nd SFS has pledged to help raise awareness that distracted drivers are not only a danger to themselves, but everyone else on the road in an effort to make Barksdale roads safer.

“This effort is intended to educate our community about the dangers of cell phone use and other distractions while driving,” said Staff Sgt. Morgan Runnion, 2nd Security Forces Squadron police services. “We hope that once people see the statistics and realize the danger involved, they will change their driving habits to help protect themselves, their families and others on the road.”

The campaign will include daily public advertisements on the dangers of distracted driving, additional checkpoints at installation gates and selected stop signs in base housing areas.

“Every driver on base has a role in this effort,” said Runnion. “However, we especially want to reach out to parents with teen drivers because the under-20 age group has the highest proportion of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes.”

To date, there have been two violators on base. However, violations tend to increase during summer months.

“When an individual is caught utilizing their cell phone on the installation the first offense is a seven-day suspension of base driving privileges,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan Woods, 2nd Security Forces Squadron police services NCO In-charge. “The second offense is a 30-day suspension and the third is a year suspension.”

Further offenses are punishable with two years added to your base suspension, Woods explained.

The goal of the campaign is simple – save lives by getting drivers to remember that “One Text or Call Could Wreck It All.”

For more information about distracted driving, please visit www.distraction.gov, or contact 2nd SFS Police Services at 318-456-4407/3580.