Maryland State Police will be increasing highway safety patrols over the next two weeks as millions of Marylanders hit the roads for holiday travel.
State Troopers from all 23 barracks will conduct saturation patrols and checkpoints focused on impaired, aggressive and distracted driving. The State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort (SPIDRE) team, a specialized unit of trained troopers who are focused on identifying impaired drivers, will also be out patrolling.
Enforcement efforts and the SPIDRE team are bolstered by funds from the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s (MVA) Highway Safety Office.
According to the MVA’s Highway Safety Office, 537 lives have been lost while traveling on Maryland roads this year, with thousands more injured. The most common causes of these crashes are reported as impairment, distraction, speed and aggressive driving and were preventable.
Maryland State Police encourage the following tips to keep Maryland roads safe:
- Plan for extra travel time.
- Designate your sober driver in advance and give that person your car keys.
- If you’re planning on driving, avoid drinking. Consider using public transportation, call a taxi or use a ride-share service if you don’t have a sober driver.
- Don’t let a friend drive if you think they are impaired.
- If you see someone who you believe is driving impaired, call 911.
- Always buckle up and ensure all passengers in your vehicle are buckled up.
- Stay alert and focused. Don’t text, use a cellphone that is not hands-free or drive distracted.
- Move over for all vehicles displaying warning signals. If it is not safe to move over, slow down.
From the Maryland State Police, we hope you have a safe holiday and Happy New Year.
