Although Maryland state troopers are always aggressive when it comes to stopping motorists suspected of drunk driving, their customary enforcement efforts have reached new heights during the current winter holiday season.
Maryland State Police and local police departments have been out on streets and highways across the state in notably high volume in recent weeks, commencing with the Thanksgiving holiday. And their heightened scrutiny will be a continuing roadway reality through this coming weekend and into the New Year.
Here's some evidence of that. Reportedly, state troopers have made several hundred DUI arrests within the past month. Sobriety checkpoints are on clear display. And, as noted in a recent media article spotlighting Maryland's ramped-up DUI enforcement campaign, every MSP barracks across the state is currently deploying "special patrols focused on identifying and arresting impaired and aggressive drivers."
Clearly, it might pay in a most literal sense for state residents to heed the advice of one ranking state traffic official.
And that is this: "If you do go out and drink, plan for a sober ride home."
Penalties in Maryland for a DUI conviction can be flatly draconian. Heavy fines are commonplace, and time spent in jail is far from being a rarity for many convicted offenders. License suspensions and revocations are common. State residents sometimes lose their jobs owing to a drunk driving charge.
Any Maryland resident who is arrested for drunk driving over the holidays -- or, indeed, at any time of the year -- might reasonably want to promptly secure the assistance of a proven criminal defense attorney with a deep well of experience defending clients in DUI-related matters.
We wish all our readers a Happy New Years and safe motoring.