Increased Police Patrols Over Memorial Day Weekend In Maryland

ROCKVILLE, MD — Maryland State Police are ramping up patrols over the Memorial Day weekend in order to combat drunk, impaired, and reckless driving.

Maryland State Police say troopers conducted 7,496 traffic stops, made 121 DUI arrests, 40 criminal arrests, and 66 warrant arrests during last year's Memorial Day weekend. Troopers also issued 1,840 speeding citations, 188 seat belt citations, 3,009 additional citations, and 4,420 warnings. In addition, troopers responded to 371 crashes, including two that were fatal.

State law enforcement officials are urging motorists to be safe during the holiday weekend. Wear your seatbelt, obey the speed limit, and do not get behind the wheel if you are tired or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Every year more than 160 lives are lost and thousands more are injured in Maryland in crashes involving impaired drivers. @MDSP doesn't want you to become a statistic this #MemorialDayWeekend. Don't drive impaired, distracted or aggressively. READ MORE >> https://t.co/MaDSArRhGG pic.twitter.com/SWPdTY458n
— MD State Police (@MDSP) May 24, 2019

From May 24 to 28, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police will also be on the look out for aggressive or impaired drivers.

"There is no excuse to drive impaired. Using ride-share services and a designated driver are your best options to arrive at your destination safely," MDTA Police said in a statement. During this campaign, officers want motorists to make decisions that help ensure a safe driving environment for everyone on the road."

Hundreds of thousands of Marylanders are planning to hit the road this Memorial Day weekend. And according to AAA-Mid Atlantic, travel this weekend will be the busiest it's been since 2005.

"This long holiday weekend, marking the unofficial start of summer vacation season, will see the second-highest travel volume on record since AAA began tracking holiday travel volumes dating back to 2000, trailing only the bar set in 2005," AAA said in a statement. "Overall, an additional 1.5 million more people will take to the nation's roads, rails and runways compared with last year, a 3.6 percent increase."

Given the nature of the holiday, and the travel spike, Maryland State Police are urging motorists to follow these safety tips:

If you are attending a Memorial Day gathering:

• 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 police.
• Always buckle up.
• Don’t text, use a cellphone that is not hands-free or drive distracted.

If you are hosting a Memorial Day gathering:

• Remember, you can be held liable if someone you served alcohol to ends up in an impaired-driving crash.
• Serve plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages
• Ensure sober drivers or alternative modes of transportation are set up in advance for guest who are planning to drink alcoholic beverages.
• Have contact information for local taxi companies readily available.
• Take away the keys from anyone who is thinking of driving impaired.