Labor Day DUIs: Police Targeting Impaired, Aggressive Driving In Anne Arundel County

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD - Extra police will be on Maryland roadways on Labor Day weekend. Authorities will be looking for impaired, aggressive or distracted drivers.

Troopers from all 23 Maryland State Police barracks will conduct saturation patrols throughout the holiday weekend. 

The Annapolis and Glen Burnie barracks will patrol U.S. Route 50, Maryland Route 295 and Interstate 97.

Here are the plans for the rest of Maryland:

• Baltimore County: The Golden Ring Barrack will focus enforcement efforts on interstates 695, 795 and 83.
• Caroline, Dorchester and Talbot counties: The Easton Barrack will focus enforcement efforts on routes 50 and 404.
• Cecil and Harford counties: The JFK Memorial Highway, Bel Air and North East barracks will focus enforcement efforts on Interstate 95 and routes 1, 7, 24 and 40.
• Garrett County: The McHenry Barrack will focus enforcement efforts on Interstate 68 and Route 219.
• Kent and Queen Anne’s counties: The Centreville Barrack will focus enforcement efforts on routes 301, 20 and 50.
• Prince George’s County: The College Park and Forestville barracks will focus enforcement efforts on routes 5 and 50 and Interstate 495.
• Somerset County: The Princess Anne Barrack will focus enforcement efforts along routes 13 and 413.
• Washington County: The Hagerstown Barrack will conduct DUI saturation patrols on interstates 70 and 81.
• Wicomico County: The Salisbury Barrack will focus enforcement efforts on routes 50 and 13.

These initiatives target roads with many crashes or arrests. The operation is part of the “No DUI Friday” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration initiative.

The State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort team, or SPIDRE, will also be active this weekend. SPIDRE troopers are trained to identify impaired drivers and reduce alcohol-related injuries and deaths in Maryland. 

The team has made more than 4,353 DUI arrests since its inception in May 2013. The group is funded by a grant from the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration Highway Safety Office.

Maryland saw an annual average of 145 fatal crashes involving impaired driving from 2018 to 2022, the MDOT MVA Highway Safety Office said. The state also reported an annual average of 1,926 injury crashes in the same span.

State Police offered these tips for safe driving this weekend:

If you are attending a Labor Day gathering:

• Designate a sober driver in advance and give that person your car keys.
• If you’re planning on driving, then avoid drinking.
• Consider using public transportation. Call a taxi or use a ride-share service if you don’t have a sober driver.
• Don’t let a friend drive if you think they are impaired.
• If you see someone who you believe is driving impaired, then call the police.
• Don’t drive distracted, text or use a cellphone that is not hands-free. Always buckle up.

If you are hosting a Labor Day gathering:

• Remember, you can be held liable if someone you served alcohol to ends up in an impaired-driving crash.
• Serve plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages
• Ensure sober drivers or alternative modes of transportation are set up in advance for guests who are planning to drink alcoholic beverages.
• Have contact information for local taxi companies readily available.
• Take the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving impaired.

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