DC and Maryland lead in traffic safety — but Virginia lags behind

---

When it comes to laws aimed at keeping drivers and passengers safe, D.C. and Maryland are ahead of Virginia, according to a new report from Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. But all three jurisdictions have room to improve.

When it comes to laws aimed at keeping drivers and passengers safe, D.C. and Maryland are ahead of Virginia, according to a new report from Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. But all three jurisdictions have room to improve.

The group’s 2026 Roadmap to Safety report gives D.C. and Maryland its highest rating of “green,” while Virginia earned a “yellow” rating. D.C. and Maryland each have at least eight of the recommended safety laws on the books, compared to just four in Virginia.

“These laws cover everything from protecting passengers to preventing impaired driving and reducing red-light running,” said Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

“D.C. and Maryland got the strongest rating of green, and Virginia got a rating of yellow. So some work needs to be done in the Commonwealth,” Chase said.

Among the improvements needed in Virginia include a need for a strong seat belt law.

“Seat belt use is so important because it’s the first line of defense when you’re in a crash,” she said.

Even in D.C., where things look good, Chase said there’s room for improvement.

“Some of the improvements that are needed are with child passenger safety and with teen drivers. Also, it’s of note that in D.C. last year, approximately nearly 50 people were killed on the roadways. That’s not an insignificant number,” Chase said.

The report also highlights the economic toll of crashes, which equates to over $6 billion annually in Virginia, $5.91 billion in Maryland, and roughly $832 million in D.C.

Nationwide, the economic impact is a staggering $429 billion a year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“That amounts to approximately a crash tax on every taxpayer of $1,258,” Chase said.

Missouri ranked the worst among all 50 states, with zero “optional laws” on the books, followed by Wyoming, Montana and Nebraska.

Oregon ranked the best with 10 laws, followed by D.C. and Washington state, which both have nine laws in effect.

Among the recommendations for all three jurisdictions is requiring young drivers to log 70 hours of supervised driving before getting a license and adding nighttime driving restrictions.

Chase said those steps help teens build skills safely.

“These are all put into place so that teens can practice behind the wheel. Every day, they’ll practice basketball or soccer, so that they get better and better. The same thing needs to happen with driving,” she said.

The report also calls for laws in the D.C. region that require children to ride in the back seat through age 12.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.