Maryland allocates $12.9 million to enhance road safety, avoid fatal accidents

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) recently unveiled $12.9 million in federal highway safety grants aimed at reducing fatal crashes and enhancing highway safety. These funds will be allocated to counties and organizations across Maryland, with awards determined by local crash data. The grants will support initiatives targeting impaired, aggressive, and distracted driving, promoting seat belt usage, and enhancing safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. In addition, some of the funding will be utilized for police training, overtime patrols, and upgrading Maryland's traffic data systems. This effort aligns with Maryland's broader "Vision Zero" objective of eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2030. In 2024, there were 582 road fatalities in Maryland, a decrease from 621 deaths in 2023. However, officials acknowledge the need for ongoing efforts to further improve safety. Notably, Maryland has placed increased focus on work zone safety following a tragic accident that claimed the lives of six construction workers in March 2023. These measures include heightened enforcement, such as issuing over 48,000 speeding citations in work zones during the first two months of 2025. Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller has spearheaded initiatives to bolster work zone safety, emphasizing the importance of continuous efforts to protect road workers and all travelers. Lawmakers have also taken action, implementing stricter penalties for speed camera violations in work zones effective June 1, 2024, including doubling the base fine and introducing a tiered penalty system based on speed and worker presence.