Maryland State Police Bolster Patrols for a Safer Memorial Day Weekend

(PIKESVILLE, MD) – Maryland State Police are reminding motorists to drive responsibly ahead of Memorial Day weekend.

To combat distracted, aggressive, and impaired driving, troopers from each of the 23 Maryland State Police barracks and the State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort (SPIDRE) Team will conduct statewide DUI saturation patrols and high-visibility enforcement.

A portion of the costs associated with the increased enforcement efforts will be paid through funds provided by the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office.

Maryland State Troopers will be using a variety of patrol initiatives throughout the Memorial Day weekend to keep traffic moving, respond quickly to highway incidents, and take appropriate enforcement actions when violations are observed that threaten the safety of motorists. Some of the initiatives planned include:

• Eastern Region: The Berlin, Centreville, Easton, Princess Anne, and Salisbury barracks will conduct high-visibility enforcement along U.S. routes 301, 13, 50, Maryland routes 404, 413, and throughout their respective counties.
• Central Region: The College Park, Forestville, Golden Ring, Rockville, Waterloo, and Westminster barracks will conduct high-visibility enforcement along interstates 495, 95, Maryland routes 185, 97, 124, and U.S. routes 29, 193, and throughout their respective counties.
• Western Region: The Cumberland, Frederick, Hagerstown, and McHenry barracks will conduct high-visibility enforcement along areas known to have a higher number of impaired driving crashes including interstates 81 and 70, U.S. Route 40, and throughout their respective counties. The Hagerstown Barrack will also conduct a Move Over Initiative on Memorial Day.
• Northern Region: The Bel Air, JFK Memorial Highway, and North East barracks will conduct high-visibility enforcement along areas known to have a higher number of impaired driving crashes including on U.S. Route 40, and throughout their respective counties. 
• Southern Region: The Maryland State Police Annapolis, Glen Burnie, La Plata, Leonardtown, and Prince Frederick barracks will conduct high-visibility enforcement along U.S. Route 50, Maryland routes 5, 235, 4 and interstates 295, 97, 695, and throughout their respective counties.

Additionally, the Maryland Car Rally Task Force will be on patrol to combat unlawful large-scale exhibition driving events in the Maryland National Capital and Baltimore regions. These events, known as “takeovers,” block public roads, pose risks to public safety, disrupt traffic, and oftentimes cause property damage. The Maryland Car Rally Task Force is comprised of the Maryland State Police, and police departments from Prince George’s, Montgomery, Howard, Baltimore counties, Baltimore City and the Maryland Transportation Authority Police.  This collaborative effort remains vital in addressing illegal exhibition driving across designated regions.

There are many ways to prevent traffic-related tragedies including rideshare services, taxis, designating a sober driver or public transportation.

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