The Maryland Department of Transportation, Maryland State Police, and Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) have landed a five-year, $13.2 million Federal grant to upgrade the state’s crash reporting system and streamline the exchange of data across local, state, and Federal agencies.
“Safety is the cornerstone of the Maryland Department of Transportation as we work to bend the curve and rapidly reduce fatal crashes,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “This federal grant will streamline the data and help the Department make better informed decisions of where safety improvements are most needed.”
The State Electronic Data Collection grant program, established as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, supports states in upgrading their crash data systems to enable electronic collection and sharing with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). The program also aims to help states collect crash data electronically in the field, transfer it to a centralized database, and ensure data accuracy through quality control measures.
“We are honored to receive critical funding to modernize Maryland’s crash data systems, another key component of our efforts to reach the vision of zero traffic-related deaths and serious injuries,” said Maryland Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Nizer, who also serves as Governor Wes Moore’s Highway Safety Representative. “With accurate and timely data, transportation planners can provide better informed analysis to support our emergency responders, law enforcement partners and communities.”
According to state leaders, the Federal grant will help improve the quality of and access to crash data. The data will then be used by national, state, regional, and local users to evaluate traffic safety issues and support countermeasures to help save lives and prevent injuries. A press release from the Department of Transportation noted that the state updated its crash report on January 1, 2024, but did not have the resources to update the electronic data transfer process to match this new version.
Maryland will allocate the funding to enhance various aspects of its data collection and management, including:
- Improving the electronic data transfer process.
- Hiring trainers statewide to provide local law enforcement agencies with additional training on crash data collection.
- Conducting a comprehensive inventory of traffic records, focusing on all datasets related to motor vehicle crashes.
- Aligning with the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria, sixth edition.
- Automating the sharing of emergency medical services (EMS) data with police crash reports.
“While we share the mission to make Maryland safer, we continue to work with our traffic safety partners to reduce injuries and fatalities on our roadways,” said Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police. “Ensuring the accuracy and accessibility to crash data is an important part of the process of saving lives and improving highway safety.”
