Maryland recorded six traffic deaths in the week spanning July 27 through Aug. 2, state transportation officials said, closing out July with 37 fatalities for the month and pushing the year-to-date total to 233 — a figure that continues to run well below last year’s pace at this point in the calendar.
The Maryland Department of Transportation and Maryland State Police released the preliminary weekly tally as part of their ongoing “Slow the Fast Down” campaign, the speeding-focused safety initiative Gov. Wes Moore launched July 8. As of Aug. 3, 233 people had died on Maryland roads in 2026, compared with 279 recorded through the same date in 2025, according to the preliminary data, which officials caution is subject to change as individual crash investigations continue.
The year-to-date breakdown shows 107 driver deaths, 33 passenger deaths, 47 pedestrian deaths, six bicyclist deaths and 40 motorcyclist deaths so far in 2026. For comparison, Maryland recorded 234 driver deaths, 83 passenger deaths, 109 pedestrian deaths, 10 bicyclist deaths and 49 motorcyclist deaths across the full year in 2025 — meaning this year’s toll in every category remains well below last year’s full-year totals with roughly five months still remaining in 2026.
This year’s continued decline builds on a significant drop in 2025, when Maryland recorded 480 traffic deaths statewide, an 18% decrease from 582 in 2024 and the first time the state’s annual toll fell below 500 since 2014. That improvement was driven in part by sharp reductions among the state’s most vulnerable road users: pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities fell 33% from 2024 to 2025, while motorcyclist fatalities dropped 46% over the same period, according to state officials, who credited targeted investments in high-risk corridors alongside expanded enforcement against impaired and aggressive driving. The state has set a goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries entirely by 2030 under its Vision Zero initiative.
Alongside this week’s fatality data, MDOT and State Police issued an expanded set of summer driving reminders that, for the first time this season, included specific guidance on handling roadside emergencies. Officials urged drivers to keep vehicles in good working condition and carry an emergency kit, and said that if a driver experiences a flat tire, personal safety should take priority over the tire itself — motorists should pull off the roadway to a safe location if possible, activate hazard lights, and call for roadside assistance rather than attempting a roadside tire change in an active travel lane. The agencies’ other standard reminders remained largely consistent with prior weeks: obeying posted speed limits, particularly in highway work zones; moving over or slowing down for vehicles with flashing lights; avoiding phone use and other distractions; never driving impaired; wearing seat belts in every seating position; and watching closely for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists, who officials say can be harder to spot, especially in a vehicle’s blind spot.
Maryland’s push on speeding enforcement has continued through the summer. State officials reported earlier this year that troopers and local police had already issued more than 4,600 citations to drivers traveling 30 mph or more over posted limits, with some drivers on the Baltimore Beltway clocked at speeds exceeding 130 mph. State officials have said work zones remain a particular focus following a March 2023 crash on Interstate 695 in Baltimore County that killed six construction workers, an incident that prompted a sustained statewide crackdown on work zone speeding in the years since.
The weekly fatality figures are part of a continuing series MDOT’s Highway Safety Office publishes throughout the summer travel season, tracking preliminary crash data against the state’s broader effort to reduce roadway deaths over time. Officials have said the addition of roadside-emergency guidance this week reflects a seasonal pattern: summer heat and heavy highway mileage tend to increase tire failures and other mechanical breakdowns, situations that can turn deadly when a stranded motorist attempts repairs on an active shoulder or travel lane rather than waiting for help in a safer location. More information about Maryland’s traffic safety initiatives, including detailed crash data and campaign materials, is available at ZeroDeathsMD.gov, or on Facebook, X and Instagram at @ZeroDeathsMD.
