Maryland Travel Safety Week will run November 16–22, 2026, with Maryland State Police among the agencies supporting a statewide push to prepare travelers before Thanksgiving, according to the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM).
In its release dated November 13, 2026, MDEM announced the campaign and outlined steps for road, rail and air travel. November 13, 2026 is the announcement date; November 16–22 is the campaign period, not the date of an emergency.
MDEM says the annual public-awareness effort is in its ninth year. It leads the campaign with support from the Maryland State Police, Maryland Department of Transportation and local emergency management partners.
Before leaving: check the route and the vehicle
The agency recommends checking weather forecasts and road conditions before departure and during the trip, monitoring construction and delays, and allowing extra time for holiday travel. Share your plans and expected arrival time with someone you trust, it advises.
For a long drive, MDEM recommends checking tires, brakes, fluid levels, lights and windshield wipers. Its suggested vehicle supplies include water, nonperishable food, a flashlight, a first aid kit and phone-charging equipment, along with blankets and warm clothing for possible delays.
Protect passengers and people along the road
MDEM urges travelers to wear seat belts, secure all passengers and avoid driving impaired, distracted or fatigued. It advises following posted speed limits and adjusting speed to weather and road conditions. If conditions become unsafe, the agency recommends finding a safe place to stop and wait.
The release also asks drivers to give pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists room, maintain a safe following distance and watch for roadside workers and first responders. It reminds travelers to follow Maryland’s Move Over Law when approaching stopped emergency vehicles, tow trucks and other qualifying vehicles displaying warning signals.
Set up alerts for the destination, too
MDEM advises travelers to know how to receive emergency alerts where they are going, not only at home, and directs readers to its local emergency information page to sign up for local alerts. It also recommends following instructions from transportation personnel and local emergency officials.
For the return journey, the agency recommends checking weather and travel conditions again, taking breaks on long trips and avoiding driving when tired. Its release directs people encountering an emergency to call 911 and to report roadway hazards to the appropriate authorities.
Image: Contextual archive photograph of northbound Interstate 95 just north of Exit 50 in Baltimore at sunrise, dated 16 June 2021. It does not show the 2026 campaign, Thanksgiving traffic or current conditions. Photo: Famartin, via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped, resized, labeled and locally blurred for vehicle privacy by ThinBlueNews; the adapted photograph is also available under CC BY-SA 4.0. No endorsement implied.
