High Visibility Enforcement Against Impaired Driving Scheduled for
March 11-21 in Maryland and Delaware Along US 13 and US 113

DOVER, DE (March 12, 2021) – This year St. Patrick’s Day may look a little different as Delaware continues to stress social distancing and COVID-19 precautions. But for those planning to celebrate with family and friends, the Delaware Office of Highway Safety, Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s (MDOT MVA) Highway Safety Office, and local law enforcement want to make sure they stay safe by driving sober or making a plan for a sober ride home.

For the fourth year, more than 20 transportation and law enforcement agencies from Delaware and Maryland will conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints along the 145 miles of US 13 (Ocean Highway) and nearly 75 miles of US 113 (Worcester Highway) on the Delmarva Peninsula beginning Thursday, March 11, and continuing through Sunday, March 21. St. Patrick’s Day is Wednesday, March 17.

In Delaware, the Office of Highway Safety (OHS) will also partner with additional agencies statewide for this year’s high visibility enforcement focused along the US 13 corridor. Last year during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period, a total of 102 arrests for impaired driving were made statewide in Delaware.

Coinciding with high-visibility enforcement efforts, Delaware’s Office of Highway Safety will share the Be Driven Not to Drive campaign through a variety of platforms throughout the state including billboards, English and Spanish print media, social media platforms, music streaming services, and television/online streaming services. The campaign combines visible tactics with a publicity strategy to educate the public and promote safe driving behaviors in compliance with the law.

“Partnering with Maryland allows our efforts to be amplified as we combat impaired driving during this holiday period,” said Delaware OHS Deputy Director Richard Klepner. “OHS will partner with law enforcement throughout Delaware with increased visibility and presence on our roadways. There’s no excuse to drink and drive. Even one can be too many. Plan ahead to have a sober ride.”

In anticipation of the St. Patrick’s Day DUI enforcement and campaign initiatives, OHS has launched a first-of-its-kind digital tool called the Arrive Alive DE Visualizer DUI-Involved Crash Tool to share information with Delawareans and visitors on crash locations and educate website visitors to drive sober. Housed on the Arrive Alive DE website, this 5-year snapshot of DUI-involved crashes shows the concentration of crashes across the state through an interactive heat map.

In addition to the Arrive Alive DE Visualizer DUI-Involved Crash Tool, OHS has launched other versions of the digital tool for occupant protection and pedestrian safety. The Arrive Alive DE Visualizer is designed to educate drivers and pedestrians to help save lives in Delaware and Arrive Alive to their destination. Visit ArriveAliveDE.com to explore this digital tool and more on highway safety education in Delaware.

“Impaired driving is never the right choice so if you do plan to go out, be sure to plan ahead for a sober ride home,” said MDOT MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer, who also serves as Governor Larry Hogan’s Highway Safety Representative. “Every year, families lose loved ones to impaired driving crashes. It’s up to each of us to prevent these tragedies from occurring.”

In 2019, 535 people were killed on Maryland’s roadways and one-third of those deaths involved someone impaired by alcohol, drugs, or both. During last year’s enforcement effort, participating agencies issued 703 citations in Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester counties – including 205 for speeding – and made 18 arrests for impaired driving.

To coincide with the high visibility enforcement, the MDOT MVA’s Highway Safety Office will also share Be the Make A Plan Driver and Be the Sober Driver messages on a variety of social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat.

 

Additional information on Maryland’s Be the Driver campaign can be found here.

More information on Delaware’s Be Driven Not to Drive campaign is available here.

 

 

 

About the Delaware Office of Highway Safety
The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is committed to improving the safety of Delaware’s motoring public by focusing on behavioral traffic safety issues, such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues. Follow the Delaware Office of Highway Safety on ArriveAliveDE.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat.

 

 

About the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) Highway Safety Office 

Learn more about the MDOT MVA’s Highway Safety Office at ZeroDeathsMD.gov or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @ZeroDeathsMD.

CONTACT:

Cynthia Cavett, Delaware Office of Highway Safety, Cynthia.Cavett@delaware.gov

Whitney Nichels, MDOT MVA, wnichels@mdot.maryland.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Cynthia Cavett, Delaware Office of Highway Safety, (302) 744-2743
Kellie Boulware, MDOT MVA, 410-762-5188
Brandy Brubaker, Virginia DMV, 804-367-6834

 

Joint Effort Targets Impaired Drivers Along US 13 and US 113 in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia

 

Dover, DE (March 15, 2019) – The Delaware Office of Highway Safety, Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA), law enforcement and transportation officials from Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, have partnered for the second year to save lives on our roadways during the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Law enforcement from 36 agencies across the three states will team up for a High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) effort on US 13 and US 113 throughout the Delmarva Peninsula.

In 2017, there were 39 DUI-related fatal crashes in the state of Delaware and 3,997 DUI arrests. In 2018, there were two DUI-related fatalities during St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Over the last five years, a total of 228 impaired driving arrests occurred for the same holiday period.

“All of us here at the Delaware Office of Highway Safety would like to thank our partner agencies for working together to have a greater impact on reducing impaired driving. It is through coordinated efforts like this along US 13 and US 113, that we can increase awareness and safety for all motorists on our roads,” said Richard Klepner, Delaware Office of Highway Safety, Impaired Driving Program Manager. Delaware motorists can text “saferide” to 99000 for a link to download Lyft and Uber apps or get a list of local companies providing safe rides. The state of Maryland is conducting multiple enforcements on US 13 where there were 138 crashes from 2013 – 2016 resulting from alcohol and/or drug impairment. During last year’s effort participating agencies in Maryland issued 125 citations, including 45 for speeding, and made four impaired driving arrests.

“This effort is a great example of state and local law enforcement agencies joining forces to save lives on our roadways,” said Chrissy Nizer, Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) Administrator.

In Virginia, there were 278 alcohol-related fatalities in 2018, which is 34 percent of overall traffic deaths. The chance of being in an alcohol-related crash in Virginia is one-in-six over the course of a lifetime.

“Reducing and ultimately eliminating drunk driving will go a long way toward reaching our goal of zero deaths on Virginia roadways,” said Virginia DMV Commissioner Richard D. Holcomb, the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative. “Law enforcement agencies partnering across state lines sends a strong message to drivers — we are committed to saving lives and vow to work together to make our roadways safer for everyone.”

Saturation patrols will run throughout the US 13 and US 113 corridors in the three states with law enforcement on the lookout for impaired drivers. US 13 is comprised of 289 total miles – 137 in Virginia; 103 in Delaware; and 49 in Maryland. It houses approximately 150 establishments with liquor licenses along its length in Maryland alone.

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About the Delaware Office of Highway Safety
The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is committed to improving the safety of Delaware’s motoring public by focusing on behavioral traffic safety issues such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues. FAQs can be found at ArriveAliveDE.com.

 

Dover, DE-  As motorists take to the roads this Memorial Day holiday, law enforcement officers from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania will be out in full force, taking part in the 2014 national Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization and cracking down on motorists who are not belted.

Today, May 19th, officers from Delaware State Police, Delaware River and Bay Authority, Maryland State Police, New Jersey, Pennsylvania State Police, Selbyville PD, and Worcester County Sheriff’s Department will be teaming up and joining forces to mobilize the Click It or Ticket (CIOT) “Border to Border” enforcement operation from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.  Agencies will be providing increased seat belt enforcement at border sites sending a ‘zero tolerance’ message to the public: Driving or riding unbuckled will result in a ticket, no matter what State.  A total of eleven states are participating along the northeast including Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

“Seat belts save thousands of lives every year, but far too many motorists are still not buckling up, especially at night when the risk of getting in a crash is even greater,” said Colonel Richard Arroyo of the Delaware River and Bay Authority police department.  “We want to make this the safest summer possible. Buckling up is not optional; it’s the difference between life and death in a crash.  That’s why we’re out here enforcing the law.  Click it or Ticket, every time, day or night.”

At a press event held earlier today at the Delaware Memorial Bridge to announce the Border to Border enforcement operation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) representatives from Region 2 (PA, NJ), Region 3 (DE, MD), and a crash survivor stressed the Click It or Ticket campaign message to buckle up day and night.

NHTSA Region 2 Administrator, Tom Louizou focused on drivers most at risk across the nation, “Our younger motorists—young men in particular—are most at risk.  62 percent of those killed in crashes were NOT buckled up—the highest percentage of any age group”, said Louizou.

Elizabeth A. Baker, Ph.D, NHTSA Region 3 Administrator commented on when most unbelted crashes happen.  “Most law-abiding citizens have gotten the message to buckle up. But the same is not true for nighttime drivers and passengers”, said Baker.  “Of those killed in nighttime crashes in 2012, 62% – two out of three – were not wearing their seat belts.”

Firsthand experience of what could happen to a person when involved in a unbelted crash was shared by Chris Weersing of Pennsylvania.   Chris was driving with a friend and involved in a single vehicle crash in 2005.   The friend was wearing a seat belt and hit his head on the windshield, Chris was not wearing his seat belt and his head hit a tree.  His friend walked away with a minor concussion, Chris was in a coma and not expected to recover.  Today Chris lives with the effects and injuries of an unbelted crash including traumatic brain injury, memory loss, and having to re-learn daily living activities.

Delaware is seeing a decrease in unbelted fatals compared to this time last year. At this time last year 56% of the fatal vehicle occupants were not wearing seat belts compared to 42% currently.  There have been a total of 33 vehicle occupants killed in a fatal crash this year in Delaware.  Delaware’s seat belt use rate is 92% compared to the national seat belt use rate of 86%.

Delaware law requires drivers and all passengers, including those in the back seat, to wear a seat belt.  An officer can pull over a driver if he sees any person in the vehicle not wearing a seat belt, even if there is no other violation. The ticket, which goes to the driver no matter who is unbuckled in the vehicle, totals $83.50.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 52 percent of the 21,253 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.  And unbelted fatalities are more prevalent at night than during the daytime. According to NHTSA, 62 percent of the 10,135 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 during the overnight hours of 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.

In 2011, seat belts saved an estimated 11,949 lives nationwide according to NHTSA. While this year’s Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization runs from May 20 through June 2, officers are out enforcing seat belt laws year-round.

For more on the national Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov or for Delaware information please visit www.buckleupde.org.  For pictures of the Border to Border press event please visit www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE .

Dover, DE- As motorists take to the roads this Memorial Day holiday, Delaware law enforcement officers are urging everyone to buckle up.   Since May 13^th, law enforcement officials have been out in full force, taking part in the 2013 national Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement mobilization and cracking down on motorists who are not belted.

“As we kick-off  the busy summer driving season it’s important that everyone buckles up every time they go out, both day and night – no excuses,” said Jana Simpler, Director for the Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “Delaware law enforcement officers are prepared to ticket anyone who is not wearing their seat belt – Click It or Ticket.”

On the morning of May 20^th, Delaware will be joining forces with Pennsylvania and Maryland to mobilize the Click It or Ticket (CIOT) “Border to Border” enforcement operation.  Delaware State Police and Delaware River and Bay Authority Police will be joining Pennsylvania law enforcement at the Delaware Memorial Bridge to provide increased seat belt enforcement at border sites including I-95, I-495, and I-295.  Selbyville PD will be teaming up with Worchester County Sheriff’s Department on Rt. 113 at the Maryland/Delaware border to conduct seat belt enforcement.  All agencies will be sending a ‘zero tolerance’ message to the public: Driving or riding unbuckled will result in a ticket, no matter what State.  Several other states will also be participating in other areas along the northeast including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, and Massachusetts.

“Troopers urge motorists to make safety a top priority by properly buckling up!” said Sergeant Paul G. Shavack, Director of Public Information for the Delaware State Police. “Being properly restrained can substantially reduce your risk of being involved and/or injured in a crash. Remember, there is NEVER a good excuse to ride in a vehicle without wearing a seat belt.”

Currently, the number of unrestrained fatal crashes in Delaware is much higher than at this time last year. At this time last year 29% of the fatal vehicle occupants were not wearing seat belts compared to 53% currently.  There have been a total of 17 vehicle occupants killed in a fatal crash this year in Delaware.

Delaware law requires drivers and all passengers, including those in the back seat, to wear a seat belt.  An officer can pull over a driver if he sees any person in the vehicle not wearing a seat belt, even if there is no other violation. The ticket, which goes to the driver no matter who is unbuckled in the vehicle, totals $83.50.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 52 percent of the 21,253 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash. As noted, deaths involving seat belt nonuse are more prevalent at night than during the daytime.  According to NHTSA, 62 percent of the 10,135 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2011 during the overnight hours of 6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.

For more on the national Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.ohs.delaware.gov/seatbelts or www.nhtsa.gov.