Fewer people have died on Maryland’s roads so far in 2026 compared to the same period last year, and state and local officials are hoping to continue that trend.
According to crash data from Maryland’s Highway Safety Office, there were 213 traffic fatalities statewide as of July 20. By the same day in 2025, there were 252 deaths.
In the state’s two largest counties, Prince George’s recorded 40 traffic deaths year to date. Montgomery County had 28.
“Prince George’s County typically has more fatalities than Montgomery County does, largely because of the volume of traffic that goes through the population; it’s a little bit bigger of a county, so there’s more exposure,” said Tim Kearns, the director of the Maryland Highway Safety Office at the state Motor Vehicle Administration. “There’s more opportunities for people to be involved in motor vehicle crashes.”
In Prince George’s County, 15 of the 40 traffic fatalities involved impaired drivers.
Officials have noticed “a little bit of reduction” in fatalities around roads with work zones, speed feedback signs and speed cameras, Kearns said.
“Anything that we can do, along with messaging, automated enforcement, and having our law enforcement partners on the street, just so they know we’re out there, and that they can see that speed does kill,” he said.
State officials are working with law enforcement and local governments to keep the downward trend going.
“To get better messages out there about how everybody needs to not drive impaired and to plan for a safe ride home is obviously one of our key goals,” he said.
Kearns also noted the number of fatalities where seat belts were not worn.
“Typically, failure to wear a seat belt contributes to about half of the fatalities in an occupant vehicle for a motor vehicle crash. It’s one of the main reasons that people are killed when they’re involved in a crash,” Kearns said.
Speed is another common factor that leads to more road deaths.
Maryland recently launched a public service campaign urging drivers to “Slow the Fast Down,” noting that excessive speed contributes to nearly one-third of all deadly crashes statewide.
The provocative language of the campaign has gotten attention, said Kearns.
“We have noticed more feedback on our social media posts, and people have noticed it. So whether they’re in favor of it or whether they think it’s a little bit risky for that kind of message to be out there, it is getting attention, and it is getting attention of the folks who’s the demographic that we’re trying to reach,” he said.
That includes drivers between the ages of 21 and 34 who are, according to the data, involved in more high-speed crashes.
“We really need to make sure that we’re looking out for each other. We’re looking twice for pedestrians. We’re looking twice for motorcyclists. We’re making sure that we’re aware of our surroundings, aware of our speeds, wearing our seat belts,” Kearns said.
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