It’s an effort to cut speeding by motorists, and urge them to slow down.
Glen Burnie, Md (KM) It’s always good practice to drive at a safe speed, .but this weekend in particular. The Maryland Department of Transportation says more than 45 law enforcement agencies, including all State Police Barracks, will be taking part in High Visibility Enforcement. They will be conducting stepped up speed enforcement to reduce crashes and increase safety across the state, and remind motorists to slow down. ‘ Marylanders are reminded to slow down to avoid a citation and prevent a potentially life altering crash.
“We are asking all Marylanders to give themselves plenty of time to reach their destination and please slow down. Speeding will only increases your chance of not getting to your destination at all,” says Chrissy Nizer, Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administrator, in a statement. “Law enforcement officers are an important highway safety partner, and we truly appreciate the hard word they do on our roads every day to keep Marylanders safe.”
Nizer also serves as Governor Wes Moore’s Highway Safety Representative..
MDOT officials say excessive speeding is a form of aggressive driving behavior, and is a contributing factor to more than one-third of all fatal crashes nationwide. The probability of death or serious injury increases significantly at higher rates, doubling for every ten miles per hour over 50 miles per hour that a vehicle travels, MDOT says. As speed doubles, stopping distances quadruple.
Other states on the East Coast will be conducting speed enforcement along Interstate 95.
Some of the area law enforcement agencies taking part in the High Visibility Enforcement this weekend are the Frederick, Mount Airy and Hagerstown Police Departments, and the Carroll County and Washington County Sheriff’s Offices.
This speed reduction effort is in partnership with the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office is providing overtime funding for law enforcement agencies to conduct this effort.
By Kevin McManus