Maryland car accident statistics (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Maryland by year

Annual car accident deaths numbered 494 in 2020, 492 in 2021, 494 in 2022, 546 in 2023 and 497 in 2024. The highest count was 546 in 2023; the lowest was 492 in 2021. The 2024 count was 3 deaths higher than the 2020 count. Deaths fell from 2020 to 2021, rose in 2022 and 2023, then fell in 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Maryland's share of the national car accident death total was 1.5% in 2020, 1.3% in 2021, 1.3% in 2022, 1.6% in 2023 and 1.5% in 2024. For 2020 through 2024, Maryland accounted for 1.4% of the national total of 176,219 deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised when NHTSA publishes the final file.

Who died in Maryland car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 1,618 deaths, or 64.1% of Maryland's car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 257 deaths, or 10.2%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 648 deaths, or 25.7%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Each category counts deaths in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. The Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) label follows the FARS classification, which can include occupants of parked motor vehicles. It does not describe a literal test of whether someone was outside a vehicle.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Collision types and setting

Car accident deaths by manner of collision were Angle (side impact), 487; Head-on, 319; Rear-end, 233; Sideswipe, 73; Other, 5; and Unknown, 4. Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 1,402 deaths. That row means the first harmful event was not between motor vehicles in transport, such as a rollover or striking a fixed object. Vehicles stopped in traffic can be in transport.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime accounted for 1,044 deaths (41.4%); nighttime accounted for 1,479 (58.6%). Urban locations recorded 2,124 deaths (84.2%), rural locations 388 (15.4%), and unknown land use 11 (0.4%). These are death counts, not counts of fatal crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Counties with the most car accident deaths

Prince George's County had the most car accident deaths, with 520, followed by Baltimore County with 338, City of Baltimore with 215, Anne Arundel County with 212 and Montgomery County with 206. The listed counts also include Howard County, 114; Charles County, 109; Frederick County, 106; Cecil County, 92; and Harford County, 80. St. Mary's County recorded 65 deaths, Wicomico County 61, Washington County 57, Worcester County 53 and Carroll County 52.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Death counts and population-based rates describe different measures. Among the listed counties, Worcester County had the highest average annual deaths per 100,000 residents at 19.7, while Montgomery County had the lowest at 3.9. These rate rankings apply only to the listed counties.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Up to 15 counties with the most deaths in the period, largest first. Rates for counties with few deaths change sharply with each death.

How Maryland compares with the national rate

The Maryland car accident death rate was 8.1, compared with the national rate of 10.5, measured as average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. Maryland's rate was lower than the national rate. The corresponding death counts were 2,523 in Maryland and 176,219 in the United States.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Each rate divides deaths during the period by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates for those years, then multiplies by 100,000. The estimates use Vintage 2025. Rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. Maryland's July 1, 2024 population estimate of 6,245,314 is shown separately; it is not the denominator used to calculate the rate.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

About these figures

FARS is a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and an occupant or nonoccupant dying within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. State and county counts follow crash location, not the deceased person's residence.^[8][6][7]

Data for 2020 through 2023 are Final Files. The 2024 Annual Report File can change when replaced with the Final File. Rates use deaths divided by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates, multiplied by 100,000; they do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. The separate July 1, 2024 estimate is not the denominator. If searching for a car accident lawyer, keep these location-based groupings in mind when reading the counts.^[8][6][7]

See also

• FARS Annual Report File and Final File
• Car accident statistics for Prince George's County, Maryland (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Baltimore County, Maryland (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for City of Baltimore, Maryland (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Anne Arundel County, Maryland (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Montgomery County, Maryland (2020-2024)