by Staff Writer
Carroll County drivers may be back on the roads, but not all of them have returned to pre-pandemic habits. Data from state and local agencies suggest that since 2020, risky driving behaviors—particularly distracted and impaired driving—have become more deadly, even as enforcement has decreased.
The most recent data from Carroll County’s Strategic Traffic Safety Plan reveals a spike in serious incidents tied to driver distraction. In 2020, distracted driving contributed to 50% of all traffic fatalities in the county—8 out of 16 deaths—up from just one such fatality the previous year. Distracted driving also accounted for 40% of serious injuries.
This surge came even as distracted driving citations in Carroll County dropped by nearly 40%, from 604 in 2018 to 368 in 2020. Statewide, similar trends emerged. Distracted driving citations across Maryland fell from 33,655 in 2018 to 19,450 in 2020, according to the Maryland Highway Safety Office.
Speed-related crashes in Carroll County remained consistent in terms of fatalities, with one per year from 2018 through 2020. Serious injuries from speeding incidents declined over the same period, but officials caution that this does not necessarily indicate safer driving—especially as statewide fatalities have remained high.
Impaired driving also remains a concern. In 2020, Carroll County recorded four impaired-driving-related fatalities, up from three in each of the two previous years. Despite this, DUI arrests in the county dropped from 514 in 2018 to 357 in 2020.
At the state level, the issue is even more pronounced. According to a 2025 report by national transportation research group TRIP, Maryland saw a 31% increase in traffic fatalities between 2014 and 2024, rising from 442 to 579 deaths annually. Although fatalities dipped slightly in 2023, they remained significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, with 631 deaths reported that year. Pedestrians and cyclists were among the most vulnerable, with 135 pedestrian deaths and 15 bicyclist deaths reported in Maryland in 2023.
Despite these troubling trends, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office has been recognized for its leadership in promoting road safety. In 2023, three members of the department were honored as Level I Traffic Safety Specialists, with one officer achieving the more advanced Level II designation. The Traffic Safety Specialist program, run by the Maryland Highway Safety Office, acknowledges officers who complete extensive training in areas such as impaired driving detection, crash reconstruction, and high-visibility enforcement strategies.
In addition, the Sheriff’s Office participated in public education efforts such as April 2025’s “Work Zone Awareness Week,” in partnership with the Carroll County Board of Commissioners. These efforts emphasized protecting road crews and commuters in active construction zones, reinforcing the message to “Respect the Zone—So We All Get Home.”
Carroll County’s traffic safety strategy for 2022–2026 includes goals to reduce distracted driving fatalities and serious injuries through public education, increased enforcement, and updated infrastructure. Still, with no more recent local data available yet beyond 2020, it remains unclear whether those efforts have reversed the trend.
As more commuters return to regular routines, public safety officials continue to urge vigilance behind the wheel. The data suggests that even as traffic volume rebounds, some of the most dangerous habits from the pandemic era are proving harder to shake.
