Maryland’s Worst Roads to Drive on During a Disaster (And How to Survive Them)
By a Well-Traveled Survivalist Who’s Seen More Than One Apocalypse Coming Over the Horizon
Disasters don’t wait for the weather to clear, the traffic to thin, or your gas tank to fill up. Whether it’s a hurricane bearing down on the Chesapeake, a Nor’easter crashing across the Appalachians, or a cascade of man-made chaos clogging the I-95 corridor, Maryland has more than its fair share of roads that’ll turn a bad day into a nightmare.
I’ve driven the swampy logging routes of the Deep South, carved wheel paths through the deserts of New Mexico, and braved snow-walled passes in the Rockies. But few places test your mettle like Maryland in a full-blown disaster. It’s a mix of suburban sprawl, tight mountain roads, waterfront lowlands, and decades-old infrastructure built for a population half its current size.
Here’s my take on Maryland’s worst roads during a disaster—and more importantly, how to survive them.
The Roads You Should Avoid Unless You’re Desperate—or Skilled
1. I-95 Through Baltimore
This beast is always congested. In a disaster, it’s the first to jam up with panicked drivers. Bridges, tunnels, and limited exits make it a trap if you don’t know your detours.
2. Route 50 Eastbound to the Bay Bridge
On a holiday weekend, this stretch looks like a parking lot. Add a hurricane evacuation and you’ve got a recipe for gridlock from Annapolis to Queenstown.
3. I-270 Corridor Between Frederick and the D.C. Beltway
A death funnel of commuter traffic. During an emergency, the already-bottlenecked lanes become impassable. Back roads may be your only option.
4. Route 1 Through College Park
Choked with lights, pedestrians, and poor drainage. Avoid it when the rain starts falling—flooding is a real problem here.
5. I-70 Near Ellicott City
Heavy truck traffic and tight turns combine with steep elevation. Add snow or flooding and it’s game over.
6. Route 2 (Ritchie Hwy) Through Glen Burnie
Urban sprawl, constant commercial traffic, and confusing side streets make this a slow death in any emergency scenario.
7. MD-140 Between Westminster and Reisterstown
Hilly terrain and a lack of shoulder space turn minor accidents into massive pileups.
8. MD-32 Between Columbia and Annapolis
Known for fast-moving traffic and sudden slowdowns. In a bug-out scenario, the margin for error disappears.
9. I-83 Jones Falls Expressway
A concrete chute through Baltimore prone to accidents and flooding. No shoulders mean no mercy.
10. US-301 South of Waldorf
A long, flat corridor that bottlenecks at every town along the way. One wreck and you’re stuck behind miles of brake lights.
15 Survival Driving Skills That’ll Keep You Alive
You don’t need to be a stunt driver to survive a disaster—but you do need to think like one. Here are 15 hard-earned skills every survivalist driver should master:
- Reverse Driving at Speed – Learn to back up quickly and in control. Sometimes there’s no room to turn around.
- Tactical U-Turns – Not all U-turns are legal or easy. Know how to execute a quick 3-point or bootleg turn under pressure.
- Driving Without Headlights – Essential for stealth at night. Learn to use peripheral lighting and ambient glow to see without being seen.
- Engine Braking – In rough terrain, using gears to slow the vehicle prevents brake failure and loss of control.
- Emergency Lane Changes – Quick, controlled swerves to avoid obstacles or evade threats.
- Skid Recovery on Ice or Wet Pavement – Practice counter-steering and throttle control until it’s instinct.
- Off-Road Navigation Without GPS – Know how to read terrain and follow utility lines, ridgelines, or watercourses.
- Water Crossing Techniques – Know your vehicle’s wading depth and never cross fast-moving water. Walk it first if unsure.
- Driving with Damaged Tires – A tire plug kit, compressor, and knowing how to drive on a flat can keep you moving.
- Spotting Ambush Points – Pay attention to chokepoints, overpasses, or blind curves—classic ambush zones.
- Using Vehicles as Cover – In active threat situations, park at angles to create visual and ballistic cover.
- Silent Parking & Idling – Practice arriving undetected: lights off, coast in, engine kill, brake gently.
- Urban Evacuation Tactics – Don’t follow traffic. Use alleys, sidewalks, and parking structures if needed.
- Fuel Rationing While Driving – Maintain constant speed, limit acceleration, and coast when possible.
- Using a Manual Transmission When Power Fails – Know how to clutch start a manual if your battery’s dead.
3 DIY Survival Driving Hacks When You Run Out of Gas
Even the best-prepared can run dry. Here’s how to cheat the system when the pumps are down:
1. Siphon from Lawn Equipment and Abandoned Vehicles
Keep a siphon pump or tubing in your emergency kit. Don’t forget to check boats, motorcycles, RVs—anything with a tank.
2. Emergency Fuel from Alcohol-Based Products
Gasoline engines can sometimes run short-term on denatured alcohol or ethanol-heavy fuels (like E85), though it’s hard on the engine. Use only in desperation. Make sure to filter first.
3. Gravity-Feed Jerry Can Setup
If your fuel pump dies, rig a gravity feed system using a jerry can strapped above the engine line. Run a fuel-safe hose directly to the carburetor or intake line.
Tactical Advice: Maryland Edition
Now let’s bring it home to Maryland. The Chesapeake region is a hotbed of natural and manmade threats: hurricanes, coastal flooding, chemical spills, even cyberattacks disrupting traffic signals. If you’re caught in a disaster, every second counts. Don’t follow the herd. Most evac plans will funnel everyone onto a few major arteries, and those are the first to fail.
Instead:
- Know your county’s emergency routes. Memorize them—not just the map, but the feel of the road at night, in rain, under stress.
- Use railroad access roads, utility trails, and undeveloped fire lanes. They often run parallel to major roads but are less traveled.
- Scout in advance. Take day trips to explore backwoods passes across Harford, Carroll, and Garrett Counties—places where traffic can’t follow.
- Keep a bug-out vehicle that isn’t flashy. Something with 4WD, good clearance, and preferably without fancy electronics that can fail under EMP or flood conditions.
Parting Thoughts from the Driver’s Seat
I’ve spent nights under the stars in a Humvee outside Kandahar, and I’ve crawled through DC traffic with a Geiger counter on the dash during a drill that got way too real. If there’s one truth that crosses all terrain and all threat levels, it’s this:
The road to survival isn’t the fastest. It’s the one only a few know.
Don’t wait until the sky turns green or the sirens wail. Know your routes, tune your ride, and drive like your life depends on it—because one day, it just might.
TheDailyChristian 