Citing the effectiveness of aggressive and comprehensive safety initiatives implemented during his administration, Governor Parris N. Glendening today announced 1998 Maryland highway fatalities were the lowest in 30 years. The Governor applauded highway safety advocates, traffic engineers, State and local law enforcement officers and motorists for making Maryland's roadways some of the safest in the nation. We will do everything in our power to continue this trend and make our roadways even safer.
Motorists can do their part by buckling up, obeying speed limits and driving carefully.
These numbers show clearly that our safety efforts have undeniably saved lives. From highway engineering to our driver education programs, we will use every tool at our disposal to inform Maryland drivers and make our roads safer. The 1998 figures of 606 fatalities and 551 fatal crashes are less than the 1997 record of 610 fatalities and 570 fatal crashes. Maryland's rate of 1.3 fatalities per 100 million miles of travel is 19 percent lower than the national average of 1.6. Maryland's fatality rate is the seventh lowest in the nation.