Smooth Operator Campaign Second Wave Enforcement Advisory

[Howard Hartman]

	DEPARTMENT OF POLICE MEDIA SERVICES DIVISION 2350 RESEARCH BOULEVARD ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND 20850-3294
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 29, 2012	FOR MORE INFORMATION:                         Media Services Division, 240-773-5030

Smooth Operator Campaign Second Wave Enforcement Advisory

June 29, 2012 – July 7, 2012 Throughout the County

Montgomery County Police are participating in the second wave of the summer-long Smooth Operator enforcement. This metropolitan area-wide initiative targets aggressive driving behaviors with enforcements in Maryland, Northern Virginia, and in the District of Columbia.

Those behaviors include: speeding, tailgating, unsafe lane changing, failing to yield the right-of-way, and running red lights and stop signs.

During these waves, Montgomery County Police will be especially committed to enforcing aggressive driving laws and traffic violations.

The Smooth Operator program began in 1997 to raise drivers’ awareness of dangerous behaviors on the road and to reduce the number of those incidents through education and enforcement. Some simple steps that can be taken to decrease a tendency toward aggressive driving are:

• Allow extra travel time.
• Maintain an adequate distance from the vehicle in front of you to ensure proper braking distance.
• Use turn signals when turning or making lane changes. Make sure you have plenty of room to avoid cutting off other drivers.
• Come to a full stop at red lights and stop signs.
• Don’t become angry or frustrated with other drivers; avoid road rage.

The Montgomery County Police Department wants to remind all motorists to be aware of their responsibility to drive the speed limit, obey all traffic laws, and to always use caution when operating a motor vehicle.