In Part 1 of our two-part series on highway safety, we provided some generalized road safety statistics and a broad overview of Maryland’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) and considered the high fatality rates.
In our second article, we begin by examining and detailing six key aspects of the SHSP, including more specific information on fatalities and strategies to further enhance safety, and lower death rates. Those areas of emphasis include:
Aggressive Driving
Frustration from congestion, being in a rush or anger caused by another driver can all lead to aggressive driving, which results in an average of 51 annual fatalities in Maryland. Through the use of priority enforcement, public awareness campaigns and a data-driven approach to identify behaviors and then target appropriate audiences, a 2030 goal of 31 deaths has been established.
Distracted Driving
In addition to texting or talking on a cell phone, distracted driving can happen simply by adjusting the radio or attending to child in the car. An average of 232 fatalities occur in Maryland as a result. Enhancing and improving distracted driving laws, integrating technology applications to reduce distracted driving and community outreach are the main strategies in this area. The goal is to lower the number to 135 fatalities by 2030.
Impaired Driving
Impaired driving is defined as having any level of alcohol in the body or drug impairment as identified by the investigating officer. Maryland averages 160 impaired driving fatalities annually. Reducing impaired driving through enhanced prosecution of violators, outreach activities, and increased enforcement are the strategies to reduce fatalities by nearly 50%, to 85 or fewer.
Occupant Protection
Seat belt usage in Maryland averages around 90% – which means thousands of drivers and occupants do not buckle up, leading to an average of 166 deaths annually. Collecting better data in this area as well as enforcement of both adult and child occupant protection laws and better public awareness are the primary strategies in this area. The goal is to reduce this number to 71 or fewer deaths by 2030.
Highway Infrastructure
Crashes in this area can be categorized as run-off-the road, intersection-related or work zone crashes. Two hundred seventy-six (276) fatalities occur every year as a result. The highway infrastructure strategies include identification of high crash locations, development of geometric improvements and coordination with commercial carriers, with a goal of reducing fatalities to 175 or fewer.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety
Pedestrians and bicyclists – often the most vulnerable roadway users – has seen dramatic increases in fatalities over the years. Over 110 are killed annually on our roads. Identification of issues, populations and areas of concern, promotion of safer behaviors, infrastructure improvements, and safety culture enhancements are recommended. The goal is to reduce fatalities to 57 or lower by 2030.
While all of us can do our part of help reduce these numbers – and not become a statistic – stakeholders in the engineering, education, enforcement and emergency services areas are utilizing and employing strategies set forth in the SHSP to make Maryland’s roads safer for all users. As these efforts advance, we will continue to see fewer deaths and serious injuries in Maryland and throughout the nation.