GLEN BURNIE, MD (April 18, 2022) – While states across the country experienced an increase in roadway fatalities in 2021, Maryland saw a decline of nearly 3% compared to 573 fatalities in 2020. State transportation and law enforcement officials gathered today to announce the data, and said despite the decrease, Maryland still saw an unacceptable number of crashes – 519 – resulting in 557 fatalities, including 129 pedestrians and six bicyclists.
In Southern Maryland, that number is just above forty individuals. Several were single-vehicle fatal crashes. But there were some that involved speed, alcohol, or reckless driving.
Some of these fatal crashes were:
- Waldorf man dies from injuries in St. Charles Parkway crash
- Speed, weather blamed in crash that kills Prince Fredrick man
- Twenty-three-year-old killed in early Monday morning Lexington Park crash
- Driver went through a red light in St. Leonard crash that killed 16 year old
- Lusby man dies from injuries in Friday crash
- Alcohol, driver error blamed in Indian Head fatal crash
“We have the ability, and the responsibility, to stop these needless tragedies,” said Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Secretary James F. Ports, Jr. “Today, I challenge every person – every driver, passenger, motorcyclist, pedestrian, bicyclist – every single person who uses our roadways. Let’s work together to bring the number of fatalities on Maryland roads to zero.”
Secretary Ports joined with MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) Administrator Chrissy Nizer, Maryland State Police (MSP) Superintendent Col. Woodrow W. Jones III, and other transportation officials, traffic safety leaders, law enforcement officials, and safety advocates at the Maryland Highway Safety Summit. The summit is an annual meeting of safety leaders and stakeholders to develop steps for Maryland’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan, a five-year program with the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030.
“Every year, we make the tragic announcement of the number of people who have lost their life due to preventable crashes on our roadways,” said Administrator Nizer, who also serves as Governor Larry Hogan’s Highway Safety Representative. “We are committed to zero deaths through a variety of strategies, but it’s up to each of us to be a responsible road user every time we get in a vehicle by wearing a seat belt, slowing down, driving sober, staying focused, and sharing the road with pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists.”
“Impaired driving, speeding, distracted and aggressive driving continue to be actions that lead to tragedies on our roads. Safety on our roadways is a top priority, and that’s why we join forces to focus on the driving behaviors that most contribute to crashes,” said Superintendent Col. Jones. “As Maryland State Police continue to work statewide and around the clock to remove these dangerous drivers from our highways, we are proud to join this ongoing effort to move toward zero deaths.”
According to a recent Road Safety Attitudes and Behavior survey conducted by WBA Research on behalf of MDOT, the majority of Maryland road users across all regions and demographic groups consider unsafe driving a major problem. Yet, every year familiar factors contribute to roadway fatalities: speed, distractions, impairment by alcohol and drugs, and lack of seat belt use.