A coordinated law enforcement initiative to remove impaired, distracted and aggressive drivers from the roadway this weekend yields impressive results.
Troopers and officers concentrated their enforcement efforts on behaviors most likely to injure or kill others such as impaired driving, aggressive and distracted driving and speeding. During the course of this operation 291 traffic stops were made. There were 315 citations, 205 warnings, 80 safety equipment repair orders and 8 civil citations issued. Troopers and officers removed 21 impaired drivers from the roadways and seized two illegal guns. In addition, there were five people arrested on warrants and other criminal charges.
Maryland State Police partnered with Maryland Transportation Authority Police, Montgomery County Police, and the Prince George’s County Police to conduct a cooperative high visibility patrol initiative late Friday night into early Saturday morning.
Efforts were focused on I-495 from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Prince George’s County to the American Legion Memorial Bridge in Montgomery County and on US Route 50 from Washington D.C to the Anne Arundel County line, and major roadways leading to them. The coordinated effort involved over 60 police and civilian employees working together in the region overnight.
Troopers assigned to barracks from the Washington Metro Troop along with specialized units within the Department worked the fatality reduction initiative. The State Police Impaired Driving Effort (SPIDRE) team worked alongside troopers from the Criminal Enforcement Division Central South and Western Regions, the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Chemical Test for Alcohol Unit and the Special Operations Division.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 28 people in the United States die every day in drunk-driving crashes – that’s one person every 52 minutes. Data has shown that although motorists reduced their vehicular travel significantly in 2020, there has been an increase in fatalities on our roadways.
Collectively, I-495 and US Route 50 accounted for several fatalities handled by troopers in the region thus far in 2021. The Maryland State Police believes educating the public through community engagement and conducting fair and equitable enforcement action is the foundation to reducing fatalities.
