Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration hopes to reduce roadway fatalities in 2024
BALTIMORE -- As the new year approaches, the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration is working to help change the number of roadway fatalities that are happening across the state.
According to the agency, that number keeps growing, but as the new year approaches, the agency wants to change statistics and keep motorists safe—by setting a resolution.
For Baltimore County resident Victoria Hudson, a new year means time for a new batch of resolutions.
"Trying to get back into running. We do that a lot more and I want to travel more. I'm going to graduate from my graduate program so hopefully, I have more time to do that," Baltimore County resident Victoria Hudson said.
The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration has a list of its own resolutions.
WJZ sat down with Christine Nizer, the administrator at the motor vehicle administration, to talk about a few of the agency's New Year's resolutions.
Nizer says their goal is to continue prioritizing Maryland drivers and safety, so they are road-ready in the new year.
"These are simple things each of us can do every time we get behind the vehicle," Nizer said.
Early data from the MVA shows Maryland will likely surpass 600 roadway fatalities in 2023. That's the largest number of fatalities that has been seen in more than a decade.
"It's not just a number, there are people behind each and every one of those," Nizer said. "Families have had difficult holidays that we just went through because they lost a loved one, and so that's why as, a number one resolution, we want to make a difference. We want to take those numbers and move in the opposite direction."
The MVA wants to encourage drivers to remember the newly expanded move-over law and to say 'crash' not 'accident' to describe motor vehicle incidents, too.
"Calling it an accident just diminishes the impact that it really has on all those lives," Nizer said. "And so, for us, it's important that words matter."
"I just hope we're safer, nicer and healthier in 2024," Hudson said.
You can view all ten of the MVA's 2024 resolutions below:
1. Be the Driver Who Saves Lives
According to the MVA, Maryland will likely surpass 600 roadway fatalities in 2023, the most the state has seen since 2007. Most of those fatalities were preventable. In 2024, the MVA urges all Marylanders to make safe and responsible choices behind the wheel.
2. Say 'Crash,' NOT 'Accident'
When the MVA examined contributing causes of traffic crashes on Maryland roads, it's apparent that most incidents are preventable. For example, drivers don't accidentally pick up their phone and text while driving, or accidentally go 20 or 30 miles per hour above the speed limit. It's not an accident, but a choice to drive unbuckled, or to drink and drive. For that reason, the MVA asks for residents to refer to such incidents as "crashes," not "accidents."
3. Save Time with a myMVA Account
The MVA asks Maryland residents to create a myMVA account. It allows customers to access their driver and vehicle information in real time. Customers can learn their REAL ID status, view copies of any correspondence the agency has sent to them, check their emissions deadline and complete more than 60 transactions online. With that many transactions now online, chances are you can complete your transaction without stepping into a branch office.
4. Check for Vehicle Recalls
The MVA asks motorists to keep their vehicles prepared and in good working order by correcting potential issues before they surface. Open recalls can easily be checked with your Vehicle Identification Number and are free to repair at an authorized dealer
5. Move Over for All Vehicles and Work Zones
Maryland's Move Over Law requires all motorists to make a lane change or slow down when approaching any stopped, standing, or parked vehicle displaying warning signals such as hazard warning lights, road flares or other caution signals including traffic cones, caution signs or non-vehicular warning signs.
6. Enroll in Maryland Mobile ID
Maryland Mobile ID allows users to keep their personal information secure and only present information that is required by the requesting agency, according to the MVA. In 2023, Maryland became the first state to offer Mobile ID on two major mobile wallet platforms—Apple Wallet and Google Wallet.
Marylanders can add their driver's license or ID card to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet and present it at select Transportation Security Administration airport PreCheck checkpoints, including at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. MVA officials expect this service to expand in 2024.
7. Find the Right Seat for Young Passengers
8. Understand Roadside Safety and Ensure Your Vehicle is Road Ready
MVA told WJZ drivers should make sure their vehicles are in good working order before getting behind the wheel before hitting the roads.
9. Listen to the Agency's Monthly Podcast, Conversations with Chrissy
10. Support the Environment During Your Vehicle Registration
Maryland vehicle owners can make a voluntary $1 donation—or any amount of their choosing—to the Pamela J. Kelly Tree-Mendous Maryland program when they register or renew their vehicle registration using the Motor Vehicle Administration eServices or a self-service kiosk.
Proceeds help to fund tree plantings throughout the state and support efforts to educate citizens on the importance of trees and their role in maintaining a clean and healthy environment.
For more tips and resources for staying safe on Maryland roads, or to learn more about the Motor Vehicle Administration's Highway Safety Office, visit ZeroDeathsMD.gov or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @ZeroDeathsMD.