(PIKESVILLE, MD) – Colonel Terrence B. Sheridan, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police, is implementing statewide traffic patrol resources as troopers prepare for a holiday weekend that brings increased traffic and increased potential for highway tragedies.
Maryland State Police troopers at each of the 22 barracks across the state will be focused on keeping highways safe and traffic moving smoothly during the July 4th holiday weekend. The regular on-duty patrol force will be supplemented by more than 75 extra troopers who will be on state and federally-funded highway safety overtime throughout the weekend.
On interstates and state roads, troopers will concentrate on enforcing speed limits and stopping aggressive drivers. Drunk driving enforcement will also be a priority. Each barrack will deploy at least one saturation patrol during the weekend. A saturation patrol is a team of troopers who patrol a specific area known for a high number of DUI arrests or crashes. Those troopers are focused only on identifying and arresting drunk drivers.
“Again this July 4th weekend, our focus is on keeping our highways safe,” Colonel Sheridan said. “Obeying speed limits, not drinking and driving, and ensuring everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained in seat belts or child safety seats when traveling will help to ensure your holiday is a safe and happy one. State troopers will be doing all they can to keep traffic moving and keep motorists safe as our citizens enjoy another great holiday weekend in Maryland.”
State troopers will again be assisting the Baltimore Police Department with July 4th events at the Inner Harbor. More than two dozen troopers will assist with traffic direction, commercial vehicle enforcement and other security initiatives. State Police helicopters will provide aerial support in the area when returning from medevacs to Baltimore hospitals.
To receive State Highway Administration updates on highway conditions and to check traffic cameras, visit www.roads.maryland.gov and click on CHART. Up to the minute traffic advisories will also be listed there.
Last year during the July 4th holiday period, Maryland state troopers arrested 163 drunk drivers. They wrote more than 12,600 traffic citations and warnings and made 129 criminal arrests. Seven people died in traffic crashes during the 2010 holiday weekend.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
3 comments:
Will they be targeting tail-gaters, failure to keep right, people who impede the flow of traffic as well?
ahh yes! how much revenue can we generate by protecting the public?
most of the aggressive driving I see on rt 50 is done by the troopers! funny thing is I've never seen one of them pulled over and ticketed for it!
They (the State police) think THEY keep traffic "moving smoothly"? LOL! Just like I said....heeeeeeeere come the "campaigns" against the citizenry (in the name of "protecting us"). I got news for them. Traffic flows pretty "smoothly" without them. Its the REVENUE they REALLY want "flowing smoothly". You don't think the state is authorizing all that overtime without the chance (and expectation) of PROFITING form that investment, do you? Welcome to Maryland.
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