Thank you for visiting the Street Smart web site at DriveSafeBaltimore.com. Here, you will find a wealth of information about the pedestrian and bicyclist safety problem in the Baltmore region and in the nation. You will also find excellent resources to help you stay Street Smart - whether you're walking, biking or driving.

In 2009, 4,092 pedestrians were killed and an estimated 59,000 were injured in traffic crashes in the United States – an 8 percent decrease from the 4,414 killed in 2008, and a 14 percent decrease from the 4,763 pedestrians killed in 2000.

Nationally, in 2009 pedestrian deaths accounted for 12 percent of all traffic fatalities, and made up 3 percent of all the people injured in traffic crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that on average, a pedestrian is killed every two hours and injured every nine minutes on our nation’s roadways.

In 2009, 630 cyclists were killed and an additional 51,000 were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the United States. Cyclist deaths accounted for 2 percent of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities, and made up 2 percent of all the people injured in traffic crashes during the year. The number of cyclist fatalities in 2009 is 12 percent lower than the 718 cyclist fatalities reported in 2008.

Why is Street Smart needed in the Baltimore Region?

• The Baltimore region averages 1,700 pedestrian and 500 bicycle crashes each year, resulting in an average of 52 fatalities per year.
• In 2009, 44 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle crashes.
• The Baltimore region represents 39% of the total fatalities and more than half the crashes and injuries across our state.
• Thirty-four percent of all pedestrian and bicycle crashes in Maryland occur in Baltimore City.

What is Street Smart?

Street Smart is an annual public education, awareness and behavioral change campaign in the Baltimore-Washington region. The program emphasizes education of motorists and pedestrians through a combination of mass media and enforcement. Enforcement is directed to locations that provide opportunities to raise awareness of the rights and responsibilities of the drivers, pedestrians and cyclists who share our roads. The program is meant to complement, not replace, the efforts of state and local governments and agencies to build safer streets and sidewalks, enforce laws, and train better drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

What does Street Smart hope to accomplish?

The goals of the campaign are to change motorist and pedestrian behavior, and reduce pedestrian and bicyclist deaths and injuries, by:

• Educating drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists about safe usage of roadways.
• Increasing enforcement of pedestrian and bicyclist traffic safety laws – and making drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists aware of enforcement.
• Building on awareness of pedestrian/bicycle traffic safety issues that have been established in prior campaigns in order to change behaviors.
• Developing a program that can be easily replicated by other localities that want to decrease pedestrian and bicycle injuries and fatalities.

The Baltimore Metropolitan Council is the organization of the region’s elected executives who are committed to identifying regional interests and developing collaborative strategies, plans and programs which will improve the quality of life and economic vitality throughout the region. The Street Smart Campaign in the Baltimore Region is coordinated by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) with support from the State Highway Administration’s Highway Safety Office.

For more information:
Bala Akundi, bakundi@baltometro.org or 410-732-0500 x1019
Heather Strassberger, hstrassberger@baltometro.org, 410-732-0500 x1025
Russ Ulrich, rulrich@baltometro.org, 410-732-9575
Barbara Herron, bherron@baltometro.org, 410-732-9564

Howard County PSA

Baltimore City PSA

StreetSmart TV Spot

StreetSmart TV Spot (Spanish version)

Stopping Distance Demonstration

Spread the word about Street Smart!

Visit our Street Smart Campaign Resource page to download posters, advertisements, sample e-mail messages, brochures, photos, radio spots, videos and more.