From the Maryland State Police, Bel Air Barrack:
(BEL AIR, MD) – After investigating 11 fatal traffic crashes resulting in the deaths of 16 people so far this year, Maryland state troopers at the Bel Air Barrack are reminding motorists that increased distractions during the holiday season increase the danger caused by drivers who text or make cell phone calls while behind the wheel.
Troopers at the Bel Air Barrack are increasing their education and enforcement efforts in an attempt to remind drivers not to let the rush of the holidays interfere with the need to always make traffic safety a priority. The need to stay in touch is nowhere near as important as the need to stay focused and alert when driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a texting driver is 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash than a nontexting driver. Also, use of a cell phone while driving, regardless of whether it is handheld or hands-free, can delay some drivers’ reactions as much as someone who has a blood alcohol content of .08, the legal limit for intoxication in Maryland.
“Reading a text message while driving causes drivers to take their eyes off the road an average of five seconds,” Lt. Michael Wann, Commander of the Bel Air Barrack said. “That is enough time to drive the length of a football field and can obviously have devastating consequences for a driver traveling at any speed.”
Troopers know driving while talking on a handheld cell phone or texting is a serious risk to the health and safety of all those on the highway. That is why Lt. Wann has directed all troopers at the Bel Air Barrack to increase their focus on these traffic violations during the coming weeks. In addition to the regular complement of troopers working patrol, special enforcement patrols will also be out, focusing on these and other violations, including drunk
driving, speeding, and aggressive driving. Experience has shown troopers that the potential causes of traffic fatalities increase significantly during this time of the year and they are committed to doing all they can to save lives and reduce injuries on Harford County roads.
For additional information about efforts to end distracted driving, please visit www.StopTextsStopWrecks.org; or contact Lieutenant Michael Wann, Commander, Bel Air Barrack at (410) 879-2101.
I traveled up Rt 1 over the dam and down 222 about 3 weeks ago around 4 in the afternoon. I passed no less than 7 state troopers going the opposite direction and 4 of them were on hand held cell phones.
Oh how ironical….
They are exempt from this law, only us serfs are meant to obey!
Well, On Saturday, November 24th at around 1:30 pm, I was traveling on 24 and passed 3 Police Officers going the opposite direction and all three were on cell phones. Two Harford County Sheriffs and one MSP. Not one of them had their lights on or even made an attempt to pull over, must have been on emergency calls, yeh right. To top it off, I was practically blown off the road by a MSP cruiser on 95 two days later during the evening. I was going at least 70 and he made me look like I was crawling on the asphalt. Once again, no lights or any indication of an emergency. He had to be going 90 and was passing anything in his way. Ain’t law grand………
The police are the only ones professional enough to use cellphones while driving.
Who does 70 on I95??? My advice is that maybe you should stick to the secondary roads Pops
I do. The speed limit is 65. And you are an arrogant fool.
I watched an MSP officer in a marked vehicle make a left turn into a small shopping center in Bel Air with a cell phone in his left hand and a pencil and paper in his right, driving with his knee and never once using a turn signal to indicate the left-hand turn. This is after getting blown out of the fast lane while doing 75 by a different unmarked MSP on I-95 doing at least 90 on his way home. How do I know he was on his way home? He lives in my neighborhood and has passed me many times well in excess of the posted 65 mph limit. And cops wonder why drivers who get pulled over for 71 in a 65 can get so nasty.
Yes, law enforcement are magically privileged by some divine right to do whatever the F they want.
I do not agree in the slightest, but there isn’t a thing that I can do about it. Honestly, I’d rather lay down and take if that means that I won’t be bothered by the long swinging appendage of the law.
I prefer the police pass me and the faster the better. That way I know they aren’t coming after me and when they are out of sight I can increase my speed.
People should mind their own business. Everyday we worry about what everyone else is doing
That is no excuse for breaking the law Mr. Police Officer. Yes, you are exempt from the law if it is an emergency situation, but you guys seem to think the law does not apply to you. Are you better than the law? Why do you continuously and knowingly break the law? What does this show others about police? Do kids want to grow up and be police so they can break the law and get away with it constantly? Please, think before you speak hypocrit…….
I’m not the police. People in general need to.stop worrying about others.
That is not what you advertise when it comes to neighborhood watch and reporting suspicious activity to your local law enforcement campaigns. Please, lets be real, breaking the law is breaking the law and you guys are breaking it every day. Slow down, put the phone down and start acting like the responsible professionals you claim to be, enough said………
Aren’t law enforcement personnel exempt if they are acting within the scope of their official duty, not just in emergency situations?
Paul Mc is correct. Scope of duties is very braod and may include contact people regarding incidents or follow-ups. These things used to require them to go back to the station/barracks. They are trained in teh safe operation also.
That is just a “COP” out. Scope of duties is now considered everytime a police officer wants to make a phone call and it seems to be abused quite frequently in public situations. I do not recall putting the public in jeopardy as being listed in the scope of your duties. PETER NORTHS LARGE DEVICE, Paul Mc and jj johnson think that it is all right for law enforcement to break the law anytime they see fit, but what will they say when law enforcement cause a major accident because of their abuse of discretion. Put the phones down gentlemen and follow the law…….
Hey Baggins,
“That is just a “COP” out. Scope of duties is now considered everytime a police officer wants to make a phone call and it seems to be abused quite frequently in public situations.” – No, scope of duty is just that, scope of duty.
“I do not recall putting the public in jeopardy as being listed in the scope of your duties.” – You have such disdain for the police. It really clouds your arguments
“PETER NORTHS LARGE DEVICE, Paul Mc and jj johnson think that it is all right for law enforcement to break the law anytime they see fit,” – I never said that. I simply asked if the law actually stated the officers could be on their cell phones while driving if the call was in their scope of duties.
“but what will they say when law enforcement cause a major accident because of their abuse of discretion.” – I would say it would be a terrible accident, and it should be investigated to see if the officer involved was acting within his/her scope of duties at the time the accident occurred.
“Put the phones down gentlemen and follow the law…….” – Follow the law, yes. Which means they are permitted on their phone if they are acting within their duties.
Anyways, have a nice day.
Wow, some people really have some serious problems with themselves. Me? Not so much. I don’t drive around Harford County with a college binder jottin’ down notes on everything I see I don’t like, you know, like poor driving that’s running rampant around these days.
I agree with the “We need to stop worrying about others” and trying to cry foul on things we don’t like.
One classic example I seem to recall is being on I95 in a backup, stopped and a few hundred feet from an exit. People were driving down the shoulder to get to this exit and all of a sudden, a very large women driving an SUV decided to be a self righteous vigilante and block those people trying to make their way to exit. “I don’t like that, so you can’t do that either”
The point of this article is lost…
Stop texting and talking while driving!! At least 6 of 10 drivers of cars i see on any given day are doing one or the other.
Jeeeeezzzz
And 8 out of 10 cops I see are on their cellphones while driving. The other 2 are running radar.
Get a life people…. Stop crying b/c you got a speeding ticket when you were 17 years old. Put on your big boy and girl pants and suck it up. While I’m sure that sometimes the cops are on their phones for personal reasons I’m also sure that sometimes its work related also. The police have a tough job if you think you can do better than by all means sign your name on the dotted line. However some of you (Dildo Baggins) included would have a tough time doing the cops job b/c it would involve you leaving your house and keyboards for eight hours a day. Next time when you crybabies need the police make sure you tell them not to speed while they are coming to save you’re a$$.
On a side note…. I can’t wait for the internet tough guy’s to respond; I truly hope that the internet connect in your parents basement is working properly today.
Just do what you want to then, I’ll criticize when you guys kill someone, thank you…….
I have no problem with the police on phones while during their duty. I do have a problem with where they are using them though. Being on your phone on 24 with those messed up intersections is not acceptable. I believe in discretion, but I also believe in bad judgement. It would be bad judgement to use your phone on 24 near any of the busy shopping spots especially during the holiday shoppiung season. This is just an opinion and I see I am not alone.