PIKESVILLE, MD – Maryland State Police are gearing up for the Labor Day holiday, and troopers will be using a variety of initiatives to keep traffic moving, respond quickly to highway incidents, and take appropriate enforcement action when violations are observed.

Beginning on Thursday, troopers from each of the 23 Maryland State Police barracks statewide will be focusing enforcement efforts on impaired driving, aggressive driving, speeding, distracted driving, and other violations that often contribute to highway tragedies, especially during holiday seasons.

Additional troopers will be working overtime assignments funded by highway safety grants from the Maryland Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office.

Troopers from the JFK Highway Barrack patrol I-95 from north of Baltimore to the Delaware line. They will be conducting operation S.A.F.E Saturated Aggressive Focused Enforcement, focusing on keeping the interstate traffic moving expeditiously and minimizing delays caused by crashes and traffic violations. Troopers will also be working high visibility patrols at the Maryland House and Chesapeake House rest areas to deter crime and assist travelers moving through the state.

Troopers from the Golden Ring, Westminster, Bel Air, Waterloo, Glen Burnie, and North East Barracks will all be conducting DUI saturation patrols in their counties. Increased patrols will begin today through the holiday.

The Frederick, Hagerstown, Cumberland, and McHenry barracks are deploying extra troopers along I-70 and I-68, with the largest number of troopers working during the peak travel times. Like troopers working other interstates, they will focus on keeping traffic moving and assisting motorists who need help.

The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division will be continuing its two-week long Passenger Safety Initiative, sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This operation will resume on Thursday and conclude on Friday. This operation will be launched to increase commercial vehicle enforcement and criminal interdiction efforts leading up to the Labor Day holiday weekend. Due to diminished commercial vehicle traffic over the holiday weekend, personnel representing all facilities will be assisting their respective barracks while conducting commercial vehicle inspections as appropriate. In further support of reducing the recent crashes, along the I-70 corridor, particularly commercial motor vehicle crashes, personnel from the New Market and West Friendship facilities will conduct traffic enforcement in these areas on Saturday, August 30, through the holiday.

Troopers from the Rockville, Forestville, and College Park Barracks will have increased patrols on I-495, I-95, and I-270. Troopers will be conducting DUI saturation patrol and seat belt initiatives in their counties. Increased patrols will begin today through the holiday.

The State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort Team, otherwise known as the SPIDRE team, will also be out this weekend. They will be deployed in Baltimore County, working in conjunction with the Baltimore County Police Department’s DUI team to focus on DUI saturation patrols. The goal of the SPIDRE team is to focus on reducing alcohol related crashes in Maryland by targeting areas across the state with high crash rates involving impaired drivers.

In addition to working enforcement in cooperation with local police departments, troopers will be working closely with personnel from the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration. SHA provides significant help arranging detours at crash sites and conducting courtesy patrols to assist motorists.

Drivers can check travel conditions and delays before traveling. SHA provides up-to-date traffic and road conditions at roads.maryland.gov, or chart.state.md.us. Traffic conditions are also available at md511.org, or by safely dialing 511 on your cell phone.

Troopers are urging travelers not to drive distracted and to make traffic safety their first priority whenever they are behind the wheel.