Maryland Targets Highway Fatalities
Maryland Awards $12.9 Million in Safety Grants to Prevent Roadway Tragedies
GLEN BURNIE, Md. — For Maryland families, the difference between life and death on the road can come down to a seat belt, a red light, or a distracted glance at a phone. State officials hope new funding will help close those gaps.
$12.9 Million Invested Statewide
The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s (MVA) Highway Safety Office announced more than $12.9 million in federal highway safety grants on September 8. Beginning October 1, the money will be distributed to 96 agencies, organizations, and programs to prevent crashes and save lives.
“Even one death is too many,” said Acting Transportation Secretary Samantha J. Biddle. “These grant funds will support proactive, community-driven initiatives to help people arrive alive.”
Families Behind the Numbers
In 2024, 582 people were killed on Maryland’s roads, including 163 pedestrians and 10 bicyclists. That marked a decline from 621 fatalities in 2023, but every number represents a person whose loss rippled through a family and community.
“Every number in our crash data represents a person—a parent, a child, a neighbor,” said MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer, Governor Wes Moore’s Highway Safety Representative. “We are making progress, but we won’t stop until we reach our Vision Zero goal.”
Vision Zero: A Statewide Commitment
Maryland adopted Vision Zero in 2019, pledging to eliminate roadway deaths and serious injuries by 2030. The strategy combines education, engineering, enforcement, and emergency response. This year’s grants will fuel that effort by funding:
- Campaigns against impaired, aggressive, and distracted driving
- Programs to boost seat belt and child safety seat use
- Initiatives to protect pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists
- Police training and overtime enforcement
- Upgrades to traffic data systems
Local Impact Across Maryland
The grants will touch communities in every corner of the state. The Aberdeen Police Department and Anne Arundel and Baltimore County police will strengthen local enforcement. Nonprofits like the Chesapeake Region Safety Council and Mothers Against Drunk Driving will expand education and outreach. Universities and hospitals—including Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland—will advance research and emergency response improvements.
Building on State Investments
This federal funding builds on nearly $1.4 million in state highway safety grants awarded in July. Together, the resources strengthen Maryland’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan and its Serious About Safety initiative—both designed to support the Vision Zero goal.
The federal grants apply to Fiscal Year 2026, running October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. A full list of awardees is posted at zerodeathsmd.gov/grants/awardees.
