Drunk Driving Prevention: Maryland Ramps Up Police Patrols and Sobriety Checkpoints through Labor Day Weekend

With Labor Day weekend fast approaching, the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA) announced that several states will be launching drunk driving prevention and law enforcement initiatives — including Maryland.

Maryland’s efforts to deter deadly drunk driving accidents over Labor Day weekend and beyond include…

o Checkpoint Strikeforce: The Maryland Highway Safety Office’s six-month impaired driving enforcement and education program, which kicks off Aug. 24 in Baltimore.

o Maryland Safe Ride Solutions: Part of a national initiative designed to prevent drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel by offering ride alternatives (in Baltimore and Landover).

o Nearly 75 % of Maryland law enforcement jurisdictions are participating in the statewide drunk driving traffic accident crackdown: 25 Maryland police departments will conduct 176 enforcement operations — 150 saturation patrols and 26 sobriety checkpoints.

Baltimore, Maryland traffic injury attorneys see first-hand the damage and heartache that families suffer when someone gets behind the wheel after a few beers or cocktails. Maryland had more than 25,000 DUI arrests in 2006 and over 3,000 impaired driving crashes with injuries — amounting to more than 5,000 injuries and 268 impaired driving deaths (Source: Checkpoint Strikeforce 2007 Factsheet.)

Even well-intentioned people celebrating Labor Day Weekend in Maryland — at a family cookout or a night out on the town in Baltimore — can make a deadly mistake if they drink and drive. Let’s all end the summer on a happy and safe note.

GHSA 2010 Labor Day Crackdown

Checkpoint Strikeforce 2007 Factsheet

Related Web Resources

Maryland Highway Safety Laws
GHSA August 2010
Safe Ride Solutions

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