Maryland Authorities Targeting "Aggressive Driving" Near Trucks

299 fatalities in crashes including commercial trucks in the last 5 years cited

State and federal transportation officials are urging motorists to avoid aggressive driving around large commercial vehicles this summer.

According to the Maryland State Highway Administration, in the last five years, 299 people lost their lives and 12,951 people were injured on Maryland roads in crashes involving a large commercial truck or cross-country bus. Transportation officials cite speeding, following too closely, weaving in and out of lanes, running stop signs and stop lights and improper passing as key causes of the crashes. 

The push was made at a news conference Wednesday at M&T Bank Stadium as part of Maryland's Smooth Operator program. Founded in 1997, Smooth Operator is a public safety campaign that targets aggressive drivers in the District of Columbia and Maryland and now includes more than 50 law enforcement agencies.