Maryland state troopers will be extra vigilant looking for impaired, distracted and aggressive drivers this Independence Day weekend to ensure travelers get to their holiday destination safely.
With the Fourth of July falling on a Saturday this year, the holiday will be a three-day weekend for many people. As a result, troopers will be on patrol, using a variety of initiatives to keep traffic moving, respond quickly to highway incidents and take appropriate enforcement action when violations are observed that threaten the safety of travelers.
Beginning Thursday, troopers from each of the 23 Maryland State Police barracks will focus enforcement efforts on impaired driving, aggressive driving, speeding, distracted driving and other violations that often contribute to highway tragedies. Additional troopers will be working overtime assignments funded by highway safety grants from the Maryland Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office.
In addition to working enforcement in cooperation with local police departments, troopers will be working closely with personnel from the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration. SHA provides significant help arranging detours at crash sites and conducting courtesy patrols to assist motorists.
Troopers from the State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort, or SPIDRE Team, will be working through the weekend. These specially trained and experienced troopers focus predominantly on locating and arresting impaired drivers. This team is funded through a grant from the Maryland Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office.
Motorists are reminded they can report dangerous drivers traveling on Maryland interstates by safely dialing #77 on their cell phone and providing the nearest State Police barrack a description of the vehicle, location and direction of travel.
