Baltimore to Host National Conference on Roadway Safety

The Lifesavers Conference will bring over 1,500 experts to address critical safety challenges.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 12:12am

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An abstract, impressionistic scene of a busy urban street at night, with blurred shapes of emergency vehicles, traffic cones, and pedestrians crossing the road, all bathed in a warm, dreamlike glow of amber, crimson, and indigo light.The Lifesavers Conference on Roadway Safety aims to inspire new solutions to prevent tragic and preventable crashes in cities like Baltimore.Baltimore Today

The Lifesavers Conference on Roadway Safety, the nation's largest gathering of highway safety professionals, is coming to Baltimore next week. More than 1,500 experts will convene at the Baltimore Convention Center from April 18-21 to discuss critical safety challenges, including impairment, distraction, speed, seat belts and post-crash care.

Why it matters

Thousands of lives are lost every year to preventable crashes, and Baltimore was chosen as the conference's location due to its connection to post-crash care through the renowned Shock Trauma program. The conference aims to share lessons learned from incidents like the March 2023 tragedy where six construction workers were killed, as well as highlight successes like Maryland's 17.5% decrease in traffic fatalities between 2024 and 2025.

The details

The four-day conference will feature experts from law enforcement, engineering, state highway safety offices, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, local advocates and community workers. They plan to discuss innovative ideas, such as carrying blood on ambulances to improve survival rates, which NHTSA recently announced a grant for communities to implement.

  • The Lifesavers Conference on Roadway Safety will take place from April 18-21, 2026.
  • In March 2023, six construction workers were killed when a speeding car jumped a Jersey wall into a work zone on the Beltway.

The players

Michele Mount

The executive director of the Lifesavers Conference on Roadway Safety.

Dr. Thomas Scalea

The Physician-In-Chief at Shock Trauma, who is renowned for his impact in post-crash care and will be speaking at the conference's opening plenary.

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What they’re saying

“Everyone from law enforcement and engineers, to state highway safety offices to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to local advocates and community workers.”

— Michele Mount, Executive Director, Lifesavers Conference on Roadway Safety

“By bringing blood to a crash scene, you could save lives. Forty-two percent of traffic fatalities, the victim is alive on the scene. If blood is brought to the scene, we can improve their likelihood of survival.”

— Michele Mount, Executive Director, Lifesavers Conference on Roadway Safety

What’s next

NHTSA recently announced a grant for communities to apply for funding to implement the program of carrying blood on ambulances to improve survival rates, which will be a key focus of discussion at the conference.

The takeaway

The Lifesavers Conference on Roadway Safety in Baltimore will bring together a wide range of experts to share innovative solutions and best practices for addressing the critical challenge of preventable roadway deaths and injuries. By highlighting successes like Maryland's recent decrease in traffic fatalities, the conference aims to inspire further progress in improving roadway safety nationwide.