Troopers Target Distracted Drivers on I-95 (PHOTO)

Distracted drivers were the focus of a seven-hour cooperative effort by Maryland State Police on Wednesday along the northern portion of I-95.

According to a Maryland State Police Department news release, more than 170 motorists were stopped for violations related to driving while distracted between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on I-95 from Baltimore City to the Delaware line.

Dubbed “Operation Trojan Horse,” police used marked and unmarked patrol cars, as well as Maryland Transportation Authority dump trucks during the operation.

Officers from the Baltimore County Police Department, Maryland Transportation Authority Police, deputies from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, and troopers from the JFK Highway, Bel Air, and North East barracks took part in this operation.

According to the MSPD news release, troopers in the “Trojan Horses,” or the MDTA dump trucks, identified motorists who were distracted by using cell phones and hand held devices. Police officers stopped violators and then other supporting units enforced the “Move Over” law while the stop was conducted. Troopers and officers would then explain the violations to the motorists and express the importance of compliance to these violations.  Police said that Operation “Trojan Horse” was a concerted effort to enforce and educate motorists of the dangers of distracted driving and failing to move over for emergency vehicles.

This co-operative effort resulted in the following:

• 172 motorist contacts,
• 113 citations,
• 111 warnings,
• one safety equipment repair order,
• four commercial vehicles inspected with one driver and one vehicle being placed out of service; and
• two drivers with suspended driver’s licenses.

Police said initiatives like this one are already being planned for future enforcement operations.

Even though we are coming to an end of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, practice safety everyday! #SaveALife pic.twitter.com/4GaB9PIwsU

— MD State Police (@MDSP) April 27, 2016

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