Fatal Roads

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Baltimore County

Residents 852,425Deaths 2024 74Deaths 2015–2024 714Latest data year 2024

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024. Figures are aggregates from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System; no individual crash is identified.

Baltimore County, Maryland, recorded 74 deaths in 73 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest FARS data year, and 714 deaths in 675 fatal crashes over 2015–2024.

With 852,425 residents, that is 8.5 deaths per 100,000 people a year over the ten years, close to the Maryland rate of 9.1 and below the national rate of 11.8.

The ten-year death toll was about level between 2005–2014 (686) and 2015–2024 (714).

Of the factors FARS records, the one that stands furthest above the state share here is pedestrians: 30.5% against 23.1% for Maryland.

37% of the county's fatal crashes happened between 6pm to midnight, and Saturday was the most common day (17%).

74deaths in 202473 fatal crashes
373deaths, 2020–2024714 over ten years
8.5per 100,000 residents a year2015–2024; 2024 alone: 8.7
-7%vs Maryland ratestate 9.1 · US 11.8

Trend since 1975

062123197519801985199019952000200520102015202020241975: 86 deaths1976: 99 deaths1977: 83 deaths1978: 93 deaths1979: 91 deaths1980: 123 deaths1981: 107 deaths1982: 72 deaths1983: 100 deaths1984: 89 deaths1985: 97 deaths1986: 95 deaths1987: 116 deaths1988: 107 deaths1989: 79 deaths1990: 101 deaths1991: 87 deaths1992: 69 deaths1993: 77 deaths1994: 66 deaths1995: 74 deaths1996: 79 deaths1997: 78 deaths1998: 65 deaths1999: 83 deaths2000: 71 deaths2001: 80 deaths2002: 80 deaths2003: 86 deaths2004: 81 deaths2005: 73 deaths2006: 66 deaths2007: 72 deaths2008: 70 deaths2009: 84 deaths2010: 59 deaths2011: 72 deaths2012: 68 deaths2013: 58 deaths2014: 64 deaths2015: 69 deaths2016: 54 deaths2017: 73 deaths2018: 85 deaths2019: 60 deaths2020: 63 deaths2021: 78 deaths2022: 66 deaths2023: 92 deaths2024: 74 deaths
People killed in crashes in Baltimore County by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 74 deaths.

Ten-year total up 4% (686 in 2005–2014, 714 in 2015–2024). The shaded band is the ten-year window used for rates and shares. County codes are matched to today's Census county list; a few historic code changes are merged.

Compared with Maryland and the nation

MeasureBaltimoreMarylandUnited States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–20248.59.111.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 20248.79.211.5
Deaths, 2015–20247145,548389,190
Fatal crashes, 2015–20246755,195358,460
Deaths per fatal crash1.11.11.1
Change vs previous ten years+4%+2%+7%
Crashes on rural roads7%19%43%

Rates divide deaths by Census Bureau population estimates for each year (residents, not road users; through traffic on major routes raises the rate of small counties). Population 852,425 in 2024.

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking27%
Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver26.4%
Pedestriansshare of people killed30.5%
Motorcyclistsshare of people killed15.7%
Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used48.5%
In darknesscrashes after dark56.9%
Rural roadscrashes on rural roads6.8%

tick marks the Maryland share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

"Alcohol" counts crashes where police reported at least one driver as drinking (FARS DR_DRINK), not the BAC-based alcohol-impaired measure NHTSA publishes separately. "Speeding" counts crashes with a driver coded as racing, exceeding the limit or too fast for conditions. Details in the methodology. Factor pages: alcohol, speeding, pedestrians, motorcycles, unrestrained occupants.

Time of day and day of week

12am3am6am9am12pm3pm6pm9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Baltimore County by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 675 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday17%
Sunday17%
Friday15%
Wednesday14%
Thursday13%
Monday13%
Tuesday12%

Light condition

Daylight39%
Dark, lighted38%
Dark, not lighted17%
Dawn2%
Dusk2%
Dark, lighting unknown2%

Road type

Other principal arterial32%
Interstate23%
Minor arterial23%
Major collector13%
Local6%
Other freeways and expressways3%
Minor collector1%

FHWA functional classes as coded in FARS (FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the Maryland share. Interstates and other principal arterials carry the most traffic, so a high share there is expected. See what the road classes mean.

Weather

Clear78%
Cloudy12%
Rain8%
Fog, smog or smoke1%
Snow, sleet or freezing rain0%
Crosswinds or blowing sand/snow0%

Routes with the most fatal crashes in Baltimore

#RouteTypeIn countyFatal crashesDeathsAlcoholSpeeding
1Interstate 695Interstate73798835%37%
2US Route 40US highway5016617815%19%
3State Route 26State highway35586117%31%
4Interstate 83Interstate30434830%33%
5Interstate 95Interstate2923425232%31%
6State Route 150State highway28323531%25%
7State Route 140State highway19596417%22%
8US Route 1US highway1814516117%26%
9State Route 7State highway14242442%25%
10State Route 151State highway13202215%40%

Signed routes (Interstate, US and state highways) that have a page on this site, ranked by fatal crashes in this county over 2015–2024; "fatal crashes" and "deaths" columns are the statewide totals for the route. Local streets and county roads are not listed.

By year, 2015–2024

YearFatal crashesDeathsDrinking-driver crashesPer 100,000
20247374198.7MD 2024
202384922210.8MD 2023
20226366217.7MD 2022
20217578269.2MD 2021
20206063157.4MD 2020
20195760127.0MD 2019
201878852110.0MD 2018
20176573218.6MD 2017
20165454136.3MD 2016
20156669128.1MD 2015

Counts under three are shown as "1–2" (small-count rule). Per-100,000 uses the 2024 population for every year in this table; the ten-year rate above uses each year's estimate.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Baltimore County, Maryland?

74 people died in 73 fatal crashes in 2024; 373 over 2020–2024 and 714 over 2015–2024, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

How does Baltimore compare with Maryland?

8.5 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 9.1 for Maryland and 11.8 nationally. Rates use Census Bureau population estimates.

What share of fatal crashes in Baltimore involved alcohol?

27.0% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had at least one driver reported by police as drinking, against 27.9% in Maryland. The factor furthest above the state share was pedestrians at 30.5%.

Which roads in Baltimore see the most fatal crashes?

Among signed routes with a page on this site, Interstate 695 (73 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024), US Route 40 (50 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024) and State Route 26 (35 fatal crashes in the county, 2015–2024).

When do fatal crashes happen in Baltimore?

Most often between 6pm to midnight (37% of crashes) and on Saturdays (17%); 56.9% happened after dark.

Where does this data come from?

NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files (1975–2024) and Census Bureau county population estimates. Figures are aggregates; no individual crash is identified. See the methodology page for definitions.

Provenance

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fatality Analysis Reporting System, annual national CSV files 1975–2024 (accident table for every year; vehicle and person tables for 2015–2024), public domain. Population: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county totals (vintages 2000–2010, 2010–2020 and 2020–2024). Data through 31 Dec 2024; page generated 30 Sep 2026. Processing errors are corrected at the next build; see corrections and sources.