(PIKESVILLE, MD) – Maryland State Police join law enforcement partners as part of a safety alliance committed to increasing safety and reducing traffic crashes throughout Worcester County’s “Special Event Zone” this week.
Motorists are urged to take extra caution while traveling through Worcester County. Starting Tuesday, September 21 through Sunday, September 26, 2021, the Special Event Zone will be in effect throughout Worcester County. The special safety enforcement initiative is in response to the anticipated high volume of motor vehicles and pedestrians on/near the roadways during a pop up car rally in Ocean City. This initiative is aimed at unsafe driving behaviors which can contribute to traffic crashes.
The Special Event Zone is a bill that was signed into law in 2018 allowing authorities in Worcester County to designate the county, or areas of the county as special event zones on or alongside a highway during large events, particularly motor events. Maryland legislation signed in 2020 allowed for increased penalties for specific motor vehicle violations to include “exhibition driving”.
Maryland law defines “exhibition driving” as abrupt deceleration or acceleration, skidding, squealing, burning or smoking of the tires of a motor vehicle, swerving or swaying of a motor vehicle from side to side while skidding, producing an unreasonably loud, raucous or disturbing noise from a motor vehicle’s engine, grinding the gears of backfiring the engine of a motor vehicle, popping the wheels of a car off the ground and transporting a passenger on the roof or hood of a car. Violators can face increased fines, or in some cases arrest, if violations occur in a Special Event Zone.
Maryland State Police along with local law enforcement partners will be patrolling throughout Worcester County in both marked and unmarked vehicles. Unsafe driving behaviors including distracted and aggressive driving, speeding, improper lane changing, following too close and exhibition driving will be among the actions police will be looking for.
The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Personnel are assisting law enforcement by illuminating overhead signs with messages to indicate the active Special Event Zone. For more information about the Special Event Zone that will be in effect, visit the Town of Ocean City’s website at https://oceancitymd.gov/oc/departments/police/special-event-zone/
Hopefully, with the specific targeting of events like this – maybe they’ll go somewhere else…and spend their money as well as have fun!
There will be fewer unsafe idiots and their spectators so the rest of us may actually have a good time!
Be careful what you ask for – you might get it!
No Fun Zone.
Pop up event happens every year..OC is run by idiots..the commie MD politicians cannot stand it if they are not in complete control of every aspect of any free enterpriseing bussiness..
So many courses of action haven’t worked over the many years – yet one thing is the same, the constant pot stirring.
Also the same – never coming up with an idea of officially supporting “an event” that would encourage participation.
Instead a “special event zone” is established but – there is NO official event!
Lather/Rinse/Repeat and keep spending all that money for something that isn’t on the books. Not to mention, businesses shutting down for the weekend.
That surely makes sense – eh?
They can’t afford the insurance for events like this; they can’t guarantee containing the damage to qualify for an affordable rate.
OC is “self insured” meaning they have no insurance premiums. The Town simply bills the tapers for the cost. End of discussion (as usual).
All the Town does is stir up all the visitors with the threats of arrest and bringing every law enforcement organization on the Eastern Shore to a 10 mile long island. Take last week when a 3 yr. (veteran?) State Trooper runs over a 2 law abiding bikers while he attempts to pursue another for not having their vehicle lights on at 8PM. It’s barely dark at that time and why couldn’t the victims be seen when they did have their lights on? The addition of so many law enforcement people just causes a lot of anxiety and careless driving.
None of this would be necessary if this crowd would obey the law. As it is, they don’t, and so here we are. Good weekend to stay home and catch up on my yard work.
That’s the problem. The “law committee” manages what the laws are on a nearly daily basis. Just like the “transportation committee”, “bare your boobs on the beach committee” and the “diversity committee”.
Ciggy Butt Committee
Naughty Language Committee
This is fun!
Just one more good reason to stay out of Ocean City! The “Non-Family” resort.