Annapolis, Maryland – Governor Wes Moore announced February 4, 2026, that preliminary data show Maryland traffic fatalities declined by about 18 percent in 2025, dropping from 582 deaths in 2024 to 480, the first time the annual total has fallen below 500 since 2014 and placing it among the five lowest yearly counts since 1960.
The reduction reflects coordinated efforts across enforcement, infrastructure improvements, education campaigns, and policy changes under the Moore-Miller Administration. Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller, who leads transportation priorities, emphasized the shared responsibility for safety.
“There is no greater priority than protecting our people. This requires strengthening enforcement, investing in infrastructure, and ensuring our streets are safer for everyone who uses them,” Moore said. “The decline we’re seeing in motor vehicle fatalities shows that when we act with urgency and data-driven strategies, we can save lives—and we will not let up because every Marylander should be able to move safely through our communities.”
Miller added, “This progress reflects the power of coordinated action and sustained investment in our communities and throughout the transportation system. While we are encouraged by the decline in motor vehicle fatalities, our work is not done until every person, whether they are driving, walking, or biking, can get where they are going safely.”
The sharpest decreases occurred among vulnerable road users. Pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities fell 33 percent, from 173 in 2024 to 116 in 2025. Motorcyclist deaths dropped 46 percent, from 90 to 48. Officials attributed these gains to targeted investments in high-risk corridors and campaigns addressing behaviors linked to severe crashes.
Maryland Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Katie Thomson stated, “While we celebrate this great accomplishment, there is still more work to be done to protect lives and further bend the curve on the number of deadly crashes and serious injuries. All of us, including those behind the wheel to those walking across the street, share a responsibility in keeping Maryland’s roads safe. I encourage everyone to keep making safe choices, pay attention, slow down and drive sober.”
Key initiatives contributing to the decline include expanded automated speed enforcement, strengthened penalties for impaired and aggressive driving, seat belt usage campaigns, and community-based programs. The department released a new Complete Streets policy prioritizing safety for all users, accelerated quick-build projects, and invested millions through the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan. Legislation advanced under Miller’s leadership addressed speeding in active work zones and is now being implemented.
Impairment, distracted driving, speeding, and aggressive driving remain leading crash causes. Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Nizer, who serves as the governor’s highway safety representative, said, “The reduction in roadway fatalities shows what’s possible when state and local partners work together with a shared focus on saving lives. Governor Moore has challenged the administration to be relentless in bringing together data, local insight and proven strategies to guide the next phase of our work and help ensure fewer families experience the tragedy of a traffic-related death.”
The department launched the Serious About Safety initiative to reinforce shared responsibility through community engagement, media campaigns, and enforcement. It promotes buckling up, slowing down, driving sober, avoiding distractions, and watching for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. The upcoming 2026–2030 Strategic Highway Safety Plan will direct future efforts.
Resources and information on traffic safety programs are available at ZeroDeathsMD.gov and on social media at @ZeroDeathsMD on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
The 2025 decline builds on increased federal and state highway safety funding, marking measurable progress in reducing preventable deaths across Maryland roadways while underscoring the need for continued vigilance and investment.