Maryland Travel Safety Week Begins as Holiday Travel Season Gets Underway – The Southern Maryland Chronicle

REISTERSTOWN, MD (November 14, 2022) — Because the busiest journey time of the yr approaches, the Maryland Division of Emergency Administration (MDEM) needs to verify all Maryland residents are as protected as doable as they journey throughout this vacation season. MDEM’s Annual Maryland Journey Security Week goals to make sure that residents are outfitted with the newest journey security data as we strategy this busy time of the yr.

One essential change for drivers is the revision to the State’s  “Transfer Over Legislation,” which has been expanded to require motorists to make a lane change or decelerate when approaching ANY stopped, standing, or parked car displaying warning indicators – together with hazard warning lights, street flares, or different warning indicators together with visitors cones, warning indicators, or non-vehicular warning indicators.

MDEM additionally reminds vacationers that, no matter their mode of transportation, they need to bear in mind to “Know Earlier than You Go” and “If You See One thing, Say One thing.”“

Throughout this vacation journey season, we wish to remind all Marylanders to be alert, ready, and  conscious of their environment,” stated MDEM Secretary Russ Strickland. “We wish everybody to have a protected vacation season. Taking the additional time to plan earlier than your journey and in addition letting authorities know should you see one thing suspicious makes an enormous distinction.”

MDEM designated November 14-20 as Maryland Journey Security Week in preparation of the start of vacation journey to encourage protected journey all yr on all modes of transportation. MDEM encourages vacationers to find out about protected journey practices whether or not utilizing roads, air, or rail, and as pedestrians and bike riders. You also needs to concentrate on security at numerous kinds of lodgings and at gatherings.MDEM encourages Marylanders to evaluate a few of these easy practices beneficial by security specialists protecting a wide range of transportation strategies.

• Know Earlier than You Go — Don’t head out for journey uninformed, unprepared, and hoping to find out about journey situations and your vacation spot whereas en route. Verify on street and visitors situations alongside your route; test for last-minute delays or cancellations earlier than heading to the airport or prepare station; all the time test native climate forecasts to be sure you pack applicable clothes and put together for potential journey delays.
• If You See One thing, Say One thing — When you see a suspicious exercise, machine, or package deal, or overhear a suspicious dialog, report it instantly to a facility supervisor, provider worker, or regulation enforcement should you see accidents or hazards alongside the roadway or mountaineering/biking trails, alert native regulation enforcement, freeway officers, or parks staff to allow them to reply.

Security suggestions when touring by motorized vehicle

• Enable further time for journey resulting from elevated visitors and congestion.
• Keep alert and provides driving your full consideration.
• Present courtesy to different drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
• Don’t drive aggressively.
• Adjust to visitors legal guidelines and heed all visitors indicators, indicators, and markings.
• Be certain that all passengers are utilizing seat belts and automobile seats correctly.
• Be certain that to have an emergency package in your automobile with jumper cables, snacks, bottled water, and seasonally applicable objects like blankets, sand, or cat litter.
• Be particularly cautious in work zones and all the time pull over one lane (if safely doable) or cut back speeds for ANY car on the shoulder.
• Motorbike drivers and passengers should put on U.S. DOT-approved helmets in lots of states and should put on eye safety as effectively.  Verify the laws the place you can be touring.

Different data for protected journey on the roads is obtainable from the Maryland Division of Transportation State Freeway Administration or  AAA Mid-Atlantic. Please go to the Maryland Transportation Authority for details about security on Maryland toll roads, bridges, and tunnels. MDOT SHA additionally has bike security suggestions. Please go to the Federal Motor Service Security Administration for security suggestions associated to giant business autos and intercity (non-transit) buses.

Security suggestions when touring by taxi or rideshare

• Ask forward for the standard value and tipping vary.
• Name for a taxi as a substitute of hailing one.
• If utilizing a shared journey service like Uber or Lyft, confirm the right driver earlier than moving into the automobile.
• Search for a meter, a radio, a badge, and a door deal with.
• Sit within the backseat – not within the passenger seat.
• Maintain costly objects hidden, and maintain your belongings shut.

Listed below are taxi security suggestions from the Journey Insurance coverage Evaluate and a hyperlink to the taxi riders’ client invoice of rights from the Maryland Public Service Fee. Security.com presents the following pointers for these utilizing rideshare providers, which regularly are usually not regulated in the identical means as taxi providers.

Security suggestions when touring by air

• Be on time, enable time to get by means of the safety checkpoint, and construct in time for doable schedule modifications.
• At all times keep alert and watch your luggage and belongings.
• Don’t let anybody however uniformed airline personnel deal with your luggage.
• When you need assistance navigating the airport, test with the knowledge desks or airport/airline staff.
• Know what can and can’t be carried together with your carry-on luggage and baggage.

Different data for protected air journey could be discovered at Baltimore Washington Worldwide Thurgood Marshall Airport and the Transportation Safety Administration.

Security suggestions when touring by railroad

• At all times keep alert and watch your luggage and belongings.
• Watch your step when boarding and leaving the prepare and shifting from automobile to automobile.
• By no means try to board or exit a shifting prepare.
• Be certain that you become familiar with the security card in most seatbacks.
• Arrive a minimum of half-hour earlier than your prepare is because of depart. Some stations require further time.
• Report any suspicious habits to police, station personnel, or Amtrak Police by calling 1-800-331-0008.

Extra details about intercity rail journey security could be present in Amtrak or the Amtrak Police. The Federal Railroad Administration has data for motorists and pedestrians at railroad crossings.

Security suggestions when utilizing public transportation (bus, subway, mild rail, commuter rail)

• Verify schedules forward of time and depart enough time to make applicable connections.
• Obtain apps that help you test arrival occasions and pay fares.
• At all times maintain jewellery and different valuables out of sight. In case your pocket is picked, yell out instantly to warn others; don’t be afraid to shout. Inform the prepare or bus operator and request the police.
• Pay specific consideration to your electronics, comparable to cell telephones, tablets, and laptop computer computer systems.
• Use warning on rail platforms and bus drop-offs, particularly when surfaces are moist or icy.

Listed below are some security suggestions from Washington Metropolitan Space Transit Administration, which operates Metro bus and rail service within the Washington, D.C. space. Listed below are anti-theft suggestions from the Maryland Transit Administration, which operates bus, subway, and light-weight rail providers within the Baltimore metro space.

Security suggestions for lodging services (lodges, motels, resorts, short-term and trip leases)

• Keep in services with hard-wired smoke alarms and an computerized hearth sprinkler system in every visitor room.
• Learn the fireplace evacuation plan fastidiously.
• Discover the 2 closest exits out of your room.
• Rely the variety of doorways between your room and the exits; it will help you if that you must evacuate in the dead of night.
• Discover the fireplace alarms in your ground.
• If the rental is a trip or non-public house, guarantee the power has deadbolt locks on all doorways, locking home windows, and applicable hearth, smoke, and carbon monoxide alarms.
• If a trip or non-public house rental has a swimming pool, be certain that everybody observes all swimmers and that correct security gear is obtainable.
• Know the cancellation coverage when making a reservation.

You will discover further security suggestions for vacationers staying at trip and personal house leases from iPropertyManagement. You will discover extra resort/motel security suggestions from SmarterTravel.

Security suggestions for pedestrians

• Use sidewalks and marked crosswalks at any time when doable.
• At all times cease on the curb, look left, proper, and left once more earlier than crossing a avenue, and look ahead to vehicles handing over or leaving driveways.
• Put on mild or bright-colored clothes or reflective objects, particularly earlier than dawn and after sundown.
• Listen and take off your headphones whereas strolling – no texting or enjoying video games.

The MDOT State Freeway Administration has extra security suggestions for pedestrians than the Federal Freeway Administration.

Security suggestions for these utilizing bicycles

• Cease in any respect purple lights and cease indicators.
• Trip defensively – count on the sudden.
• Trip with visitors, by no means towards it.
• Use hand indicators when turning or stopping.
• Keep seen when driving at night time and through inclement climate.
• Put on a helmet accurately.

MDOT State Freeway Administration has further bicycle security suggestions, as does the Federal Freeway Administration.

Security suggestions for touring on the water

Whether or not piloting your leisure boats or touring on a passenger vessel (cruise ship or ferry), listed here are some essential security suggestions:

• Verify climate forecasts for approaching fronts or storm watches. It is likely to be too late to get to a protected harbor when a storm or gale warning is issued.
• By no means enable passengers to journey on the bow, gunwale, transom, seat backs, or different spots the place they may fall overboard.
• Put on your engine cut-off change lanyard and your life jacket always. The engine won’t shut off if the lanyard is faraway from the change.
• Youngsters below 13 should put on america Coast Guard-approved Private Flotation Gadget (PFD) whereas underway on a leisure vessel below 21 ft in size.
• All leisure boat individuals ought to put on an authorised PFD for optimum security.
• On passenger vessels, observe all security instructions, learn ready security materials, and take part in all life security drills.

The Maryland Division of Pure Assets has particular data for leisure boats touring in Maryland waters, together with kayaks and rowboats. The United States Coast Guard additionally has boater security data. The Maryland Port Administration has data for folks touring out of the Baltimore cruise ship terminal. The Cruise Critic additionally has some suggestions for touring safely on cruise ships.