WORCESTER CO., MD - The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office has announced the release of last year’s DUI arrest statistics across Maryland showing Worcester County remains the top county for DUI convictions.
In 2023, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office says 898 impaired driving arrests were made by multiple law enforcement agencies across the county. 90.7% of those arrests saw a conviction, according to police. The Sheriff’s Office says Worcester County’s DUI conviction rate has been the highest in Maryland for several years.
Police say the analysis was conducted by the National Study Center, a subsidiary of the University of Maryland Shock Trauma.
“The statistical information highly contributed to our proactive approach of eliminating impaired drivers from our roadways,” the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office said Monday. “This certainly saves lives every day in our county. This valuable enforcement is essential in maintaining a safe and productive community. A proactive approach sends a strong message to our community that impaired driving will not be tolerated”
The Sheriff’s Office went on to thank Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser and her office for securing the convictions.
Law enforcement told us the conviction statistics speak volumes in several different ways. It shows the Worcester County Sheriff's Office is doing a good job of catching drivers in the act. However, it also means a lot of impaired people are finding themselves behind the wheel.
Worcester County Sheriff Matt Crisafulli said people consuming alcohol or other impairing substances and not having a plan for a safe ride home is inexcusable.
"Without that prior planning, that's where we're going to potentially see someone getting hurt or even killed," said Crisafulli.
Most of the DUI's, according to Crisafulli, are happening around Ocean City or North Worcester County during the summer, when hundreds of thousands of people flock to the area for vacation.
He told us there are not specific bars or restaurants where drivers are leaving intoxicated, but said establishments that serve alcohol can help keep the roads safe.
Buxy's Salty Dog Saloon told us one safeguard they have is not serving a customer if waitstaff or bartenders feel that person has overindulged.
Bridget Buxbaum at Buxy's told us they also make sure customers have a safe alternative if they can't drive home.
"We have a taxi service that we can call," said Buxbaum. "If someone is about to get in their car we do not let that happen, we call our taxi service and they come and pick them up."
For bars that don't offer that type of service, Crisafulli said rideshare services like Uber or Lyft are the next best choice, but he acknowledged people don't always keep that in mind.
"Part of the problem is when people become impaired it definitely lowers their inhibitions," said Crisafulli. "Sometimes people feel like they're good, they're fine, and that's where the problem lies."
Crisafulli said prevention is of course the first step. His office continuously pushes out educational information to keep drunk drivers off the roads. If that isn't enough of a deterrent, he said that's when law enforcement needs to keep their eyes peeled for behavior like speeding or swerving.