I-70 in Maryland: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 105 fatal crashes on I-70 in Maryland killed 110 people, the 7th most of 357 numbered roads in Maryland. In 2024 there were 14 fatal crashes and 14 deaths on the road.
An interstate running through 5 counties of Maryland. All fatal crashes in Maryland. I-70 in every state.
Deaths on I-70 in Maryland by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 14 | 14 |
| 2023 | 10 | 10 |
| 2022 | 11 | 11 |
| 2021 | 8 | 10 |
| 2020 | 8 | 8 |
| 2019 | 14 | 14 |
| 2018 | 9 | 9 |
| 2017 | 9 | 10 |
| 2016 | 14 | 14 |
| 2015 | 8 | 10 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on I-70 in Maryland: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Frederick County had the most fatal crashes on I-70 from 2015 to 2024: 36, with 37 deaths. Frederick, Washington and Howard counties together held 91% of fatal crashes on I-70 in Maryland from 2015 to 2024; the 4 listed held 96%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frederick County | 3 | 36 | 37 |
| 2 | Washington County | 3 | 34 | 36 |
| 3 | Howard County | 5 | 26 | 28 |
| 4 | Baltimore County | 1 | 5 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on I-70 in Maryland
105 fatal crashes on I-70 in Maryland from 2015 to 2024 have a known time, too few for any one weekday and time of day to stand out. The worst hour is 2 am to 3 am; the worst month is October.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 3.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 5.7 percent, 6 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Wed | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 3.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 3.8 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Fri | 4.8 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.9 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.0 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.9 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan3.8%
- Feb5.7%
- Mar3.8%
- Apr8.6%
- May6.7%
- Jun8.6%
- Jul11.4%
- Aug10.5%
- Sep11.4%
- Oct12.4%
- Nov9.5%
- Dec7.6%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Fatal crashes per mile on I-70 in Maryland
11.4 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 92 miles of I-70 in Maryland, against 16 for all interstates in Maryland. That ranks 2 of 2 interstates in Maryland and 55 of 172 interstate pages on this site.
Mileage from the FHWA Interstate route log (table 1), the only figure here not counted from FARS. Crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle: FARS records crashes, not traffic.
What fatal crashes on I-70 in Maryland first hit
The first harmful event was a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 41%; a collision with another vehicle in 31%, a pedestrian in 16%, a rollover in 4.8%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 43 | 41% |
| Collision with another vehicle | 33 | 31% |
| Pedestrian | 17 | 16% |
| Rollover | 5 | 4.8% |
| Parked vehicle | 4 | 3.8% |
| Other | 3 | 2.9% |
| Cyclist | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on I-70 in Maryland compare with the state
The largest difference from Maryland: from 2015 to 2024, 0.0% of fatal crashes on I-70 in Maryland were at or near an intersection, against 29% across Maryland. Also above the Maryland share: unlit roads at night. Below it: drinking drivers. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Maryland. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 105 crashes.
| I-70 | Maryland | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 24% | 19% | about the same as the Maryland share |
| At or near an intersection | 0.0% | 29% | below the Maryland share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 34% | 24% | above the Maryland share |
| A drinking driver | 14% | 28% | below the Maryland share |
| Speeding | 19% | 26% | about the same as the Maryland share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 11% | 9.6% | about the same as the Maryland share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 35% | 43% | about the same as the Maryland share |
| Hit-and-run | 2.9% | 7.8% | about the same as the Maryland share |
| A motorcycle involved | 9.5% | 16% | about the same as the Maryland share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 19% | 23% | about the same as the Maryland share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on I-70 in Maryland
- How many fatal crashes have there been on I-70 in Maryland?
- 105 fatal crashes killed 110 people on I-70 in Maryland from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 14 fatal crashes and 14 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on I-70 in Maryland do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Frederick County had the most fatal crashes on I-70 from 2015 to 2024: 36, with 37 deaths. Washington County was second with 34.
- How dangerous is I-70 in Maryland per mile?
- 11.4 fatal crashes a year per 100 miles over 2015 to 2024, on 92 miles of road, against 16 for all interstates in Maryland. That ranks 2 of 2 interstates in Maryland and 55 of 172 interstate pages on this site. FARS records crashes, not traffic, so this is crashes per mile of road, not per vehicle.
Other roads in Maryland with a page
- I-270
- I-695
- I-95
- State Highway 2
- State Highway 214
- State Highway 26
- State Highway 295
- State Highway 355
- State Highway 4
- State Highway 450
- State Highway 5
- US 1
All fatal crashes in Maryland, with every road ranked.
Where the I-70 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as I-70 in Maryland (filed under 8 spellings, such as "I-70", "I-70 BALT NATIONAL PK", "I-70 BALTO NATIONAL PK", "I-70 EISEHOWER MEMORIAL HWY"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.