The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration and the Maryland Highway Safety Office issued a safety advisory Oct. 29, 2025, urging drivers and pedestrians to increase awareness amid earlier sunsets and upcoming Halloween activities. The reminder emphasizes reduced visibility after dark and higher pedestrian volumes during trick-or-treating, aligning with National Pedestrian Safety Month observed in October.
“Whether you are behind the wheel or out on foot, I urge all Marylanders to be Serious About Safety and help us save lives,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle. “It is getting darker earlier in the evenings making it harder to see those who walk, bike and roll. Remember to slow down and pay attention if you are behind the wheel and make sure drivers can see you if you are out walking at night.”
Statewide data underscores the urgency. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 7,314 pedestrian deaths in traffic crashes nationwide in 2023, down 4 percent from 7,593 the prior year. In Maryland, the Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office recorded 2,808 pedestrian-involved crashes in 2024, yielding 2,764 injuries and 154 fatalities. Through Oct. 28, 2025, the state had tallied 387 total traffic fatalities, compared with 480 at the same point in 2024.
Southern Maryland has seen its share of such incidents this year. A 45-year-old Bryans Road man died July 2, 2025, after being struck on U.S. Route 301 in Charles County. Less than a month earlier, on June 28, a 16-year-old from Waldorf lost his life in a collision on Mattawoman Beantown Road. Another fatality occurred May 30 on Route 301 north of Smallwood Drive, and an early morning crash in La Plata claimed a life May 1. These events highlight risks on high-traffic corridors like Routes 210 and 301, where rural stretches give way to developing suburbs.
“We need all drivers to pay extra attention to their surroundings and especially look out for pedestrians as the days get shorter and Halloween approaches,” said State Highway Administrator Will Pines. “We are Serious About Safety, and we want our highway users to be as well — please help us spread the word.”
Motorists face specific responsibilities under Maryland law. They must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and intersections, a requirement enforced through fines up to $500 for first offenses. Additional guidance includes entering and exiting driveways at low speeds, using caution during turns, driving sober and arranging rides if consuming alcohol, stopping fully at signs and school buses, and shifting lanes or slowing near emergency vehicles. On Halloween, drivers should anticipate children darting from between parked cars during peak hours of 4 to 9 p.m. and verify all headlights, taillights and signals function properly.
Pedestrians, meanwhile, should prioritize visibility and predictability. Sticking to sidewalks and marked crosswalks reduces exposure on roadways. At signalized intersections, pressing the pedestrian button and waiting for the walk signal aids timing. A left-right-left scan before crossing accounts for turning vehicles. For evening outings, bright or reflective clothing counters low light, while avoiding dark hoodies or masks that block peripheral vision. Crossing under streetlights further minimizes hazards.
“Every driver has the power to save lives,” said MDOT MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer, who also serves as Governor Wes Moore’s Highway Safety Representative. “Slowing down, staying focused, and choosing to drive sober are simple actions that make a life-or-death difference, especially for our vulnerable road users. Whether you’re behind the wheel, walking, or biking, we all share the same goal — getting everyone home safely.”
The Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, released in May 2023, guides these priorities through data analysis. It identifies high-crash corridors for interventions like bulb-outs and refuge islands, selected via the agency’s Context Driven Guide.
Building on the inaugural Complete Streets Leadership Academy in 2024, the State Highway Administration expanded quick-build demonstrations in 2025. These temporary setups, like flexible bollards and pop-up bike lanes, test designs before permanent installation. In Southern Maryland, La Plata benefits from such enhancements, improving access along Washington Avenue to link downtown shops with residential zones. The approach, rooted in federal guidelines from the 2010 Complete Streets policy, mandates accommodations for all users — from wheelchair operators to cyclists — without widening roads excessively.
Maryland’s commitment dates to the early 2000s, when pedestrian fatalities prompted the first Strategic Highway Safety Plan in 2005. That framework, updated through 2025, aims to halve serious injuries by emphasizing engineering over enforcement alone. In Charles County, where U.S. Route 301 funnels commuters from Waldorf to the Capital Beltway, recent speed limit reductions near schools echo this shift. Calvert County’s efforts on Route 4 near Prince Frederick include buffered paths, addressing a 15 percent rise in bike-commute attempts post-pandemic.
The advisory reinforces that shared vigilance prevents the 70 percent of pedestrian deaths occurring at night, per NHTSA patterns. As Southern Maryland grows — with Charles County’s population nearing 170,000 — these initiatives bridge urbanizing edges and rural byways, ensuring safer paths to daily destinations.
