Thirty-five more people died in traffic crashes on Maryland roads in 2017 than in 2016, according to preliminary data released by the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). This is a seven percent increase – even though vehicle miles traveled only increased by two percent.

In response, the department has issued a “call-to-action to reduce the hundreds of fatalities that occur on State roads each year.” On April 24, MDOT convened a statewide Highway Safety Summit to highlight Maryland’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan. The five-year plan provides strategies to reduce violent tragedies on Maryland roads by 50 percent by the year 2030.

According to Dr. David Fowler, the State’s Chief Medical Examiner,

Half of motor vehicle crash victims have a substance in their bloodstream – alcohol, illicit drugs, and/or prescription drugs that can impair a driver’s ability to control a vehicle.

Learn more about the Toward Zero Deaths campaign here.