Why motorcyclists still face grave risk on Maryland’s increasingly safer roads

While Maryland is on pace to finish the year with the lowest number of annual roadway fatalities in a decade, one group isn’t experiencing the same decline: motorcyclists.

So far this year, 62 motorcyclists have died, and Maryland usually sees about 80 annual motorcyclist deaths. The challenge this year is that the number of motorcyclists dying represents more than 18% of all roadway fatalities, a higher share of total roadway deaths than in each of the previous 10 years, according to state data.

Anne Arundel County and Baltimore City have seen the most motorcyclist deaths in 2026, with eight in each jurisdiction. Following close behind with seven is Prince George’s County, which has experienced the most overall roadway fatalities — 64 of the state’s 339 — of any county.

The 62 motorcyclist deaths are prompting safety advocates to wonder what more they can do, especially in warmer months when fatalities spike.

Late last month, a 69-year-old motorcyclist died after being struck by a stolen car allegedly driven by a 12-year-old in Baltimore, just the latest in a string of crashes that killed bikers.

Chrissy Nizer, head of Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration, which oversees the state’s highway safety office, credits the roughly 12% reduction in overall fatalities this year to increased enforcement, better public awareness campaigns and advances in vehicle safety technology. The Department of Transportation has also taken additional steps such as revamping its roadway design standards and investing more in safety infrastructure upgrades.

But any changes in the data prompt important questions, Nizer said.

Is there anything else the state can do? How can Maryland redouble its efforts? While those discussions continue, Nizer encouraged bikers to take advantage of safety courses and regular motorists to give motorcycles plenty of space on the road.

Motorcyclists are naturally more exposed and vulnerable than the typical driver. They’re extra dependent upon the vehicles around them, Nizer said, and even small road debris like a pile of leaves can prove hazardous for two-wheeled vehicles.

While it’s unclear what caused the tick back up this year after a promising drop in 2025, some motorcycle riders said they have noticed more distracted car driving on the roads.

More than one-third of fatal motorcycle crashes in Maryland are single-vehicle. But for the majority of crashes, which do involve another driver, it’s all too common that the driver never saw the motorcyclist, said Ken Eaton, one of leaders of ABATE of Maryland, the state’s leading motorcycle advocacy organization.

Defensive driving is imperative for riders, Eaton said, as is taking steps to make oneself more visible. That could mean wearing bright clothing or moving back and forth within the travel lane to make nearby drivers sense motion.

There are also other sensory cues — a bike’s noise can be a nuisance, but Eaton pointed out there’s a popular saying in the motorcycle world: Loud pipes save lives.

During a cross-country trek on his motorcycle a few summers ago, Robbie Grassl, a Northwest Baltimore resident, said he narrowly avoided a serious collision with a car several times as he left Baltimore.

“The most dangerous thing on a bike is the cars,” Grassl said, adding that he felt safer on roads outside of Maryland where traffic was less congested and bikers were more present.

Motorcyclists are required to wear helmets under Maryland law. And newer safety equipment like wearable airbag vests is showing signs of reducing the severity of injuries in a crash. But the gear can be cost-prohibitive, Grassl said, and, for some, clashes with the “living on the edge” part of motorcycle culture.

The most effective way to stay safe is to avoid a crash in the first place, said Eaton, who also encouraged riders to take advantage of available skills and training courses.

Last week, Maryland launched a new online dashboard detailing all statewide traffic crashes going back to 2016.

Previously, the Maryland State Police, which is responsible for collecting statewide crash reports, updated their crash dataset periodically throughout the year. The new data dashboard will update daily, providing statistics as close to real-time as possible.

There have been more than 79,000 total crashes in Maryland so far in 2026, an average of more than 274 per day.