Md. Police Increase Roadway Patrol Efforts Until Labor Day

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—The last big month of summer is also a big month for fatal car crashes. And in a fight to keep that toll down, police are stepping up patrol efforts.

As Alex DeMetrick reports, expect to see every enforcement measure between now and Labor Day.

Back before the first crowds swarmed to places like Ocean City, police had their game plan for summer.

"We're going to be targeting violators that most often lead to crashes: speeding violators, drunk driving, aggressive driving," said Maj. A.J. McAndrew, Maryland State Police.

And they aren't letting up because "historically, throughout the summer months, you see the severe, even fatal crashes going up," said Justin Mulcahy, Anne Arundel County police spokesman.

So a campaign was started in May to enforce seatbelt use.

"Today in the state of Maryland, not wearing a safety belt is a primary violation," said Jim Johnson, Baltimore County Police.

This month, sobriety checkpoints will be added to the mix. And because the spike in deaths in August happens mostly at night, more patrols will roll after sunset.

The point isn't to write more tickets.

"These type of life altering, severe crashes, they affect all of us. They affect everyone," Mulcahy said.

And police want everyone to have fair warning: they're watching.

The increased traffic volume in August is a major factor in highway deaths. Since 2001, it has helped make August the deadliest month of the year.