This year’s holiday season efforts of the Maryland State Police had a positive effect on reducing crashes and keeping the public safe.

Traffic enforcement efforts by Maryland state troopers during the holiday period resulted in more than 10,000 traffic stops that led to 264 arrests and more than 180 arrests of impaired drivers.

Maryland State Police patrol troopers began increased holiday traffic enforcement efforts on December 23, 2017 that continued through January 1, 2018. During that period, troopers arrested 183 impaired drivers, arrested 125 for criminal offenses and arrested another 139 people who were found to be wanted on warrants.

The arrests occurred during 10,466 traffic stops made by troopers working traffic safety initiatives that included additional patrols, sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols, and speed enforcement. Troopers issued 6,506 citations, 7,509 warnings and 1,487 safety equipment repair orders. Troopers at each of the 23 Maryland State Police barracks were involved in special enforcement operations during the holiday period.

During this period, troopers responded to 1,074 crashes, including 5 fatal crashes reported. Last year troopers responded to 1,103 crashes including 10 fatal crashes.

The Maryland State Police continue to support the Maryland Department of Transportation’s campaign “Toward Zero Deaths.” These high visibility enforcement efforts reduce the number of aggressive driving, motor vehicle crashes in which speed, alcohol and other driving violations are contributing factors to crashes on Maryland roads. Troopers will continue these initiatives throughout the year.