Baltimore police to crack down on "out of control drivers" amid push to curb speeding, reckless driving

BALTIMORE - Baltimore's mayor and police commissioner say speeding and reckless driving are out of control in the city.

But soon, officers will be cracking down and stopping drivers solely for traffic violations. 

"It is overdue. It is very much needed. It is dangerous out here," Baltimore resident Michael Johnson said. "The level of speeding and the level of red light running is just really out of control at this point. I'm surprised there haven't been more accidents and more deaths in the way people have been driving."

Johnson supports the move by Baltimore police to crack down and pull more people over who break the law. 

The sheriff's office said that along Falls Road and The Avenue, 13 citations were issued and one arrest was made within just a few hours on March 1.

"I live in the city, and I drive in the city, and I have never seen it as bad as it is right now," Johnson said.

Mayor Brandon Scott told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren he personally called for more enforcement.

"People are driving like traffic laws are optional," Scott said. "I see what happens on our red light cameras when the lights have been red for five, 10, 15 seconds and people are just blowing through. I see the accidents that happen. We saw that horrific accident that happened a few weeks ago on Belair Road. People have to start driving the right way and BPD is going to be out there to enforce traffic laws." 

Along Falls Road and The Avenue, the sheriff's office said that on March 1, it issued 13 citations and arrested a person within a few hours.

"I live in the city and I drive in the city and I have never seen it as bad as it is right now," Johnson said.

Mayor Brandon Scott told WJZ the personally called for more enforcement.

"Roughly 1,922 people are driving like traffic laws are optional," Scott said. "I see what happens on our red-light cameras when the lights have been red for five, 10, 15 seconds and people are just blowing through. I see the accidents that happen. We saw that horrific accident that happened a few weeks ago on Bel Air Road. People have to start driving the right way and BPD is going to be out there to enforce traffic laws." 

Recent incidents include the deaths of a grandmother and grandchild in a crash on Belair Road, which was captured on surveillance video

Last August, a good Samaritan was struck and fell off an elevated portion of I-395 while trying to help a disabled driver.

In that case, police say the suspect was traveling more than 100 mph and was drunk more than three times the legal limit.

Police say they're hoping this will curb road rage.

Last month, a woman was arrested after police said she shot at a fellow driver on Redwood Street in downtown Baltimore before fleeing and opening fire on an off-duty police officer.

"You have to make sure there's no traffic coming because they don't worry if you're in the street. They'll speed up and blow the horn for you to move," said Blanche, a West Baltimore resident. 

WJZ spoke with her as she walked along the 1600 block of North Monroe Street.

During a crackdown there on Valentine's Day, sheriff's deputies issued numerous citations, recovered a stolen car and arrested one person for driving on a suspended license. 

"It's terrible. It really is," Blanche said. "They fly up and down here," she said.

Police will be cracking down despite the limitation of a severe shortage of officers. The department remains down roughly 500 positions.