Marylanders are urged to be safe while celebrating.
Pikesville, Md (KM) Maryland State Police say troopers from all 23 barracks will be conducting saturation patrols from Wednesday through Saturday to keep the roads safe from impaired drivers. This is Cinco-de-Mayo where a lot of people celebrate with alcohol, and sometimes get behind the wheel of a car.
The State Police say their SPIDRE team (State Police Impaired Driver Reduction Effort) will be out of the highways, targeting areas of the state with high crash rates involving impaired drivers. Each year, more than 160 people in Maryland lose their lives and thousands are injured due to vehicle crashes involving impaired drivers, State Police say .
If you plan to attend a Cinco-de-Mayo party, designate a sober driver if you’ll be drinking; and if you are driving, avoid alcohol. Also, consider public transportation, a taxi or a ride-sharing service to get home safely. In addition,, if you see an impaired driver, call the police. And don’t text and drive, or use a hand-held cell phone, or drive distracted.
If you’re hosting a Cinco de Mayo party, you can be held liable if you serve alcohol to someone who ends in an impaired driving cash. Serve plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages for guests. Also, make sure drivers are set up ahead of time. You should have the numbers of taxi or ride-sharing companies available. And take away the keys of anyone who is thinking of driving impaired.
By Kevin McManus