|
|
|
Distracted Driver Update
May 23, 2023
Yesterday, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Baltimore County Police Department, Maryland State Police, and Maryland Highway Safety Office met at the county line on Bel Air Road to enforce distracted driving as well as unrestrained motorists. The detail ran from 8 am to 12 pm (4 hours). The following statistics were compiled from Harford County’s side!
Total Traffic Stops: 36
Total Citations: 22
Total Warnings: 26
Total Safety Equipment Repair Orders: 2
Seatbelt Citations: 20
Cell phone/texting citations: 1
Suspended Registration Plates: 3
Suspended Drivers: 1
Experienced Drivers
May 16, 2023
Earlier this week I had the opportunity to present to a group of citizens on safe driving habits. I promised that I would not refer to the group as “senior citizens” so instead I will call them “experienced motorists.” Older drivers face specific risks that many younger drivers do not. Our physical, visual, and cognitive functions decline with age. Each of these is vitally important when operating an automobile. I think of my good friend Kim. While she is in the prime of her life, Kim’s boyfriend is much, much, much, MUCH older than she. This does not mean that he shouldn’t drive, it just means that, in addition to taking his Metamucil and heart medicine, he should also take some extra precautions.
First, older drivers should make sure they are familiar with the technology in the vehicle. Today’s cars have Bluetooth, and navigation, and lane mitigation, and braking assistance along with a whole host of bells and whistles to help keep you safe. A quick trip to mycardoeswhat.org can help you learn all about your car’s specific features as well as how to best utilize them.
Older drivers will also want to make sure they are staying on top of regular health screenings. Eye exams and yearly physicals will not only help prolong your life, but they will also give you an idea of whether you should be driving or not. If you need glasses, prescription sunglasses can make daytime driving easier. And if you aren’t feeling well, ask a friend or relative for a ride, or call an Uber. I’ve seen many crashes caused by the driver having a medical event.
Finally, a great resource for seniors is car-fit.org. There’s a lot more to safe driving than just how you drive. Having the proper fit inside your vehicle can make a big difference and help protect you and those around you.
Most senior driving accidents occur during the daytime, with the most common causes being failure to yield to right-of-way, failure to observe surroundings, and misjudging another driver’s speed or distance. Being aware of those facts, and being extra cautious as a result, will keep you and other drivers safer.
SCHOOL BUS CAMERA UPDATE – Since implementing the system, 745 violations have been observed and cited. Do your part to keep that number from growing.
Until next week, slow down, pay attention, wear your seatbelt, and drive safely
Move Over Law Reminder
May 9, 2023
Last week, I was bebopping around my house in my favorite Ninja Turtles shirt, generally minding my own business, when I received a message telling me that a car had crashed into two patrol vehicles and one civilian car while on a traffic stop. I raced to the scene to find that fortunately the Deputies’ injuries were minor (though their patrol vehicles weren’t as lucky). At the time, the three Deputies, one of whom is still field training, were working on a DUI arrest.
This is a great time to reiterate why it is so important to move over and slow down for EVERY vehicle you see on the side of the road, whether it be law enforcement, tow truck operators, fire/EMS responders, or road service technicians. We hear horror stories all the time about emergency workers who are injured or killed while doing their jobs. According to the Emergency Responder Safety Institute, 41 incident responders were killed in this country in 2021. That is a fatality every 9 days.
You may remember back in March, when 6 construction workers were killed on 695. The National Transportation Safety Board’s report states a high rate of speed and an unsafe lane change led to the crash that resulted in these worker’s deaths.
Speeding, cell phone use, road rage, driving under the influence- these are examples of decisions people make every day that lead to easily preventable crashes. Responders helping people on the side of the road are especially vulnerable to these dangers, and it is everyone’s job to bring their number of fatalities down to zero.
For more information on Maryland’s Move Over Law, click here – https://zerodeathsmd.gov/how-you-can-help/move-over/
SCHOOL BUS CAMERA UPDATE – Since implementing the system, 696 violations have been observed and cited. Do your part to keep that number from growing.
Until next week, slow down, pay attention, wear your seatbelt, and drive safely
Gun Safety and Traffic Stops
May 2, 2023
Ever since Supreme Court opinion 20-843 (NYSRPA v/s Bruen) was decided in June 2022, Maryland has become what is known as a “shall issue” state. This means that handgun carry permits are issued at the state level by the Maryland State Police. In other words, more and more citizens in Maryland will be legally permitted to carry firearms. The question becomes, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘐 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘋𝘦𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 (𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘉𝘰𝘺𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘸, 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦)?
First, and most importantly, do not attempt a show and tell session. Keep your hands in plain sight of the Deputy and do not touch your firearm. Once the Deputy finishes introducing themself, 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘐’𝘮𝘋𝘦𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘺𝘚𝘰𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘚𝘰𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘈𝘳𝘦𝘉𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘺𝘈𝘯𝘥𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘥𝘓𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘈𝘯𝘥𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 [deep breath] you should IMMEDIATELY let him/her know that you have a firearm in the vehicle and where it is located. At this point, the Deputy will likely ask to see your state issued carry permit in addition to your other documentation. The important thing is to be upfront and honest. As long as you are obeying the laws, as they pertain to carrying a firearm, there should be no problems at all. I mean…other than your $110 fine for your awesome “Larger than Life” sticker
SCHOOL BUS CAMERA UPDATE – Since implementing the system, 611 violations have been observed and cited. Do your part to keep that number from growing.
Until next week, slow down, pay attention, wear your seatbelt, and drive safely
HCSO Main Line – 410.838.6600
Northern Precinct – 410.692.7880
Southern Precinct – 410.612.1717
HCSO Traffic Unit – 443.409.3324
traffictiptuesday@harfordsheriff.org
@hcsotrafficsgt on Instagram