$12.9 million allocated to improve road safety, prevent fatal crashes in Maryland
The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) on Monday allocated $12.9 million in federal highway safety grants as part of an effort to prevent fatal crashes and improve highway safety.
MDOT said the funds will go to counties and organizations around Maryland.
The awards are based on local crash data and can be used for programs to curb impaired, aggressive, and distracted driving, boost seat belt use, and improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.
Some of the funding will also cover police training, overtime patrols, and upgrades to Maryland's traffic data systems.
State officials said the effort fits into Maryland's broader "Vision Zero" goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030.
In 2024, 582 people were killed on Maryland roads, including 163 pedestrians and 10 bicyclists, according to MDOT. That's down from 621 deaths in 2023. But officials have said that more work remains.
Work zone safety
Much of Maryland's recent push has centered on work zone safety. The shift in focus came after a deadly crash on the inner loop of I-695 in Baltimore County killed six construction workers in March 2023.
Investigators said drivers Lisa Lea and Melachi Brown were racing at more than 100 mph when they lost control and slammed into the work zone.
Since then, enforcement has ramped up. In the first two months of 2025 alone, the state issued more than 48,000 speeding citations in 10 work zones.
Some drivers were clocked going over 130 mph on the Baltimore Beltway.
Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller has led a work group on the issue, pushing for more speed cameras, tougher fines, and public outreach.
Maryland also hosted National Work Zone Safety Week in April 2024, where Miller called safety an everyday mission.
"The road to safety and progress, there is no final destination," Miller said. "You gotta get up each and every single day, see what ways are we can keep our road workers safer — every traveler along our roadway as safe as possible."
Harsher violation penalties
Lawmakers also took action. A law that took effect June 1, 2024, doubled the base fine for speed camera violations in work zones from $40 to $80.
It also created a tiered system, where penalties rise depending on how fast drivers are going and whether workers are present. The steepest fines can reach $1,000.
