On Thursday, November 5, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), State of Maryland, and Montgomery County gathered community leaders, law enforcement, and traffic safety advocates at Veterans Plaza in downtown Silver Spring to highlight critical traffic safety risks tied to the end of daylight saving time, and to call on all road users to exercise greater caution as earlier sunsets bring heightened dangers to the region's roads.
Preliminary data show that nearly 180 fatalities occurred on regional roads during the first seven months of 2026, compared to an approximate average of 192 fatalities from 2023-2025 during the same time period. The return of earlier sunsets each fall brings a well-documented spike in pedestrian and cyclist crashes. As darkness falls during peak travel hours, drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists face increased dangers on regional roadways.
Area leaders shared this information as part of COG's long-running Street Smart campaign, which educates drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists on safe roadway practices across the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia. The campaign supports the region's Vision Zero goal of eliminating all traffic deaths and serious injuries.
“We've been investing in safer infrastructure including building sidewalks, safer crossings, and lowering speed limits,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “And we are investing even more in safe infrastructure, $171 million in Fiscal Year 2027, but driver decisions also play a large part in our pedestrian and bicycle related crashes. We need drivers to slow down, be attentive and make good decisions such as always wearing seatbelts and never driving while under the influence.”
Montgomery County Police conducted a live high-visibility enforcement activation during the event, including a motorcycle police crosswalk safety demonstration illustrating how law enforcement targets dangerous driving behaviors in real time. Attendees also viewed a testimonial wall featuring messages from crash survivors and victims' families, putting a human face on the region's traffic violence crisis.
Regional officials stressed that all road users share responsibility for preventing serious and fatal crashes, while reaffirming the region's commitment to its Vision Zero goal. Representatives from Montgomery County Families for Safe Streets also shared personal testimonials, highlighting the real impact of traffic violence on local families and communities.
"The increase in traffic fatalities we’ve seen is not confined to one community," said Clark Mercer, COG Executive Director. "Every day, people travel throughout the District, Maryland, and Virginia. Keeping everyone safe requires a shared commitment from pedestrians, bicyclists, policymakers, and law enforcement officials across the region.”
Spokespeople are available for individual media interviews. View the event livestream here. Photography of the event is available upon request.
For more information about the Street Smart campaign, visit bestreetsmart.net.