Anne Arundel Co. & State Police Team Up To Fight Distracted & Impaired Driving

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) -- Anne Arundel County Police team up with the Maryland State Police to crack down on impaired and distracted drivers.

Monique Griego has more on the new traffic enforcement initiative.

Authorities are starting the new initiative just before the holiday season because that's when they tend to see more impaired drivers on the road.

Drivers in Anne Arundel County have a new set of eyes watching them on the road. This week, local police announced they're teaming up with the Maryland State Police's elite SPIDRE team for an initiative to crack down on drunk drivers.

"It is a team effort sharing technology and expertise to rid the road of impaired drivers," said Lt. Marcus Brown, Maryland State Police.

In 2012, drunk driving accidents in Maryland killed 158 people.

"Every death from impaired driving is absolutely senseless, needless and preventable," said Maryland Motor Vehicle Administrator John T. Kuo.

This new wave of enforcement will focus on the Route 3 corridor in Anne Arundel County. It started Nov. 8 and in the first five days, the team made 12 DUI arrests.

Drivers in the area acknowledged the problems and welcomed an increased police presence.

"I've seen so many drunk drivers, so many people swerving on the roads," said driver Lauren Poniatowski.

This year alone, five people have been killed on Route 3. An eight-car crash this summer claimed three lives.

"This is a roadway that deserves a lot of attention and it's getting that attention," said Chief Kevin
Davis.

But alcohol-impaired drivers aren't the only thing police and troopers will be looking for. The initiative is also targeting distracted drivers--that means people on their cell phones.

"You'd think with the new cell phone laws, people would be off their phones," said driver Chad Roland. "But they're not. You can see it every day."

This is not an every day initiative but police say drivers won't know when the increased enforcement is on the road.

This push for increased enforcement is expected to last through the holidays.

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