(Jessup, MD) – With the July 4th holiday quickly approaching, the Maryland State Police and other police agencies across Maryland will be out in force removing impaired drivers from the highways. For the fourth straight year, the State Police Impaired DRiving Effort (SPIDRE) team will continue its goal to make Maryland’s roads safer during the July 4th holiday. The SPIDRE team has made nearly 2,300 DUI arrests over the past four years.
Impaired driving is the cause of more than 170 traffic deaths each year, roughly one-third of traffic fatalities in Maryland. On average, more than 7,400 crashes involve an impaired driver occur on Maryland’s roads each year. The SPIDRE Team is a series of data-driven, highly focused patrols dedicated to removing impaired drivers from Maryland’s roadways.
After the press conference, all officials will be available for interviews about SPIDRE and traffic safety. In addition, Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administrator Greg Slater will be available for interviews to provide travel tips and best times to avoid July 4th holiday congestion.
WHEN: Thursday, June 29, 2017, at 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: Maryland State Police Waterloo Barracks 7777 Washington Boulevard
Jessup, Maryland 20794
WHO:
Lt. Colonel Frank Lioi, Maryland State Police
Lt. Colonel Alexander Jones, Baltimore County Police Department
Jim Ports, Deputy Secretary, Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT)
Chrissy Nizer, Administrator, MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration
Greg Slater, Administrator, MDOT State Highway Administration
Mary Mitchell, impaired driving crash victim
WHAT:
The SPIDRE Team: Four-year anniversary of the SPIDRE team conducting impaired driving enforcement initiatives across a web that spans multiple jurisdictions statewide. Event will highlight efforts to target impaired drivers over busy July 4th holiday weekend.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The event will feature great visuals, including the new Mobile Breath Alcohol Testing (MBAT) Truck, specially-designed to process impaired drivers at the scene of arrest. In addition, a fully functional ignition interlock will be installed in a demonstrator vehicle. Reporters also will have the opportunity to interview transportation, enforcement, and safety advocates, as well as the victim speaker.