State Highway 4 in Maryland: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 72 fatal crashes on State Highway 4 in Maryland killed 79 people, the 11th most of 357 numbered roads in Maryland. In 2024 there were 14 fatal crashes and 16 deaths on the road.
A state highway running through 5 counties of Maryland. All fatal crashes in Maryland.
Deaths on State Highway 4 in Maryland by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 14 | 16 |
| 2023 | 6 | 7 |
| 2022 | 8 | 8 |
| 2021 | 7 | 9 |
| 2020 | 7 | 8 |
| 2019 | 7 | 7 |
| 2018 | 6 | 6 |
| 2017 | 5 | 5 |
| 2016 | 6 | 7 |
| 2015 | 6 | 6 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on State Highway 4 in Maryland: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Prince George's County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 4 from 2015 to 2024: 37, with 42 deaths. Prince George's, Calvert and St. Mary's counties together held 85% of fatal crashes on State Highway 4 in Maryland from 2015 to 2024; the 4 listed held 99%. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince George's County | 7 | 37 | 42 |
| 2 | Calvert County | 5 | 13 | 14 |
| 3 | St. Mary's County | 0 | 11 | 11 |
| 4 | Anne Arundel County | 1 | 10 | 11 |
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 State Highway 4 in Maryland
72 fatal crashes on State Highway 4 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 1 am to 2 am; the worst month is July.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 5.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.9 percent, 5 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 5.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 5.6 percent, 4 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 9.7 percent, 7 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.8 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.4 percent, 1 fatal crash | 4.2 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan6.9%
- Feb5.6%
- Mar13.9%
- Apr1.4%
- May8.3%
- Jun6.9%
- Jul16.7%
- Aug4.2%
- Sep13.9%
- Oct12.5%
- Nov5.6%
- Dec4.2%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on State Highway 4 in Maryland first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in 47%; a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 35%, a pedestrian in 13%, a rollover in 2.8%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 34 | 47% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 25 | 35% |
| Pedestrian | 9 | 13% |
| Rollover | 2 | 2.8% |
| Cyclist | 1 | 1.4% |
| Other | 1 | 1.4% |
| Parked vehicle | 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 State Highway 4 in Maryland compare with the state
The largest difference from Maryland: from 2015 to 2024, 36% of fatal crashes on State Highway 4 in Maryland were in the dark on unlit roads, against 24% across Maryland. Below the Maryland share: pedestrians. 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 72 crashes.
| State Highway 4 | Maryland | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 17% | 19% | about the same as the Maryland share |
| At or near an intersection | 28% | 29% | about the same as the Maryland share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 36% | 24% | above the Maryland share |
| A drinking driver | 38% | 28% | about the same as the Maryland share |
| Speeding | 32% | 26% | about the same as the Maryland share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 6.9% | 9.6% | about the same as the Maryland share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 51% | 43% | about the same as the Maryland share |
| Hit-and-run | 13% | 7.8% | about the same as the Maryland share |
| A motorcycle involved | 15% | 16% | about the same as the Maryland share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 11% | 23% | below 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 State Highway 4 in Maryland
- How many fatal crashes have there been on State Highway 4 in Maryland?
- 72 fatal crashes killed 79 people on State Highway 4 in Maryland from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 14 fatal crashes and 16 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on State Highway 4 in Maryland do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Prince George's County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 4 from 2015 to 2024: 37, with 42 deaths. Calvert County was second with 13.
Other roads in Maryland with a page
- I-270
- I-695
- I-70
- I-95
- State Highway 2
- State Highway 214
- State Highway 26
- State Highway 295
- State Highway 355
- State Highway 450
- State Highway 5
- US 1
All fatal crashes in Maryland, with every road ranked.
Where the State Highway 4 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as State Highway 4 in Maryland (filed under 11 spellings, such as "SR-4", "SR-4 HARNEY RD", "SR-4 PATUXENT BCH RD", "SR-4 PENNSYLVAINA AVE"). 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.