Fatal crash profile · County
Traffic deaths in Sussex County, Delaware
County in Delaware · United States
- Deaths, 2024
- 35
- Fatal crashes
- 33
- Population
- 271.2K
In 2024, 35 people died in 33 fatal crashes in Sussex County, Delaware. That was 20.5% fewer than in 2023 (44) and the fewest since 2021. The death rate was 12.9 per 100,000 residents, compared with 12.0 in Delaware and 11.5 in the United States. Sussex County had the 2nd most traffic deaths among Delaware's counties. Between 2020 and 2024, 192 people died, an average of 38 a year. Pedestrians accounted for 11% of deaths, and 18% of fatal crashes were speeding-related.
Deaths
Traffic deaths
12.9
deaths per 100,000 residents in 2024
- About the same as the rate in Delaware: 12.0
- About 1.1 times the rate in the United States: 11.5
15.0
average deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2020–2024
- About 1.1 times the average in Delaware: 13.2
- About 1.2 times the average in the United States: 12.3
-20%
change in deaths from 2023 to 2024
44 deaths in 2023, 35 in 2024
- Delaware: -7%
- The United States: -4%
| Category | Deaths | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 37 | 32 |
| 2021 | 29 | 29 |
| 2022 | 47 | 42 |
| 2023 | 44 | 40 |
| 2024 | 35 | 33 |
People who died within 30 days of a crash. A fatal crash can kill more than one person.
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| Category | Deaths per 100,000 |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 15.5 |
| 2021 | 11.7 |
| 2022 | 18.3 |
| 2023 | 16.7 |
| 2024 | 12.9 |
Uses Census population estimates, available from 2000.
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Road users
Who died
11%
of deaths were pedestrians
- About half the share in Delaware: 22%
- About two-thirds of the share in the United States: 18%
| Category | Deaths |
|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants and others | 26 |
| Pedestrians | 4 |
| Motorcyclists | 3 |
| Cyclists | 2 |
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| Type | Deaths | Share in Sussex County | Share in Delaware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pedestrians | 4 | 11% | 22% |
| Motorcyclists | 3 | 9% | 17% |
| Cyclists | 2 | 6% | 4% |
| Alcohol-impaired driving crashes | 8 | 23% | 25% |
| Speeding-related crashes | 7 | 20% | 25% |
Alcohol-impaired and speeding-related count everyone killed in those crashes, so a death can appear in more than one row.
Crash factors
Speeding, alcohol, night and weekend crashes
18%
of fatal crashes were speeding-related
- About 80 percent of the share in Delaware: 23%
- About two-thirds of the share in the United States: 28%
21%
of fatal crashes involved a drinking driver
- About the same as the share in Delaware: 21%
- About 85 percent of the share in the United States: 25%
| Category | Sussex County | Delaware | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speeding-related | 21.2% | 20.7% | 24.8% |
| Alcohol-involved | 18.2% | 23.1% | 28.1% |
| At night | 63.6% | 62.0% | 53.6% |
| At weekends | 24.2% | 29.8% | 32.6% |
Share of fatal crashes. Alcohol-involved means a police-reported drinking driver.
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Timing
When crashes happen
64%
of fatal crashes happened at night
- About the same as the share in Delaware: 62%
- About 1.2 times the share in the United States: 54%
24%
of fatal crashes happened at weekends
- About 80 percent of the share in Delaware: 30%
- About three-quarters of the share in the United States: 33%
| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| 12am | 5 |
| 1am | 8 |
| 2am | 2 |
| 3am | 3 |
| 4am | 2 |
| 5am | 3 |
| 6am | 9 |
| 7am | 11 |
| 8am | 3 |
| 9am | 5 |
| 10am | 5 |
| 11am | 2 |
| 12pm | 5 |
| 1pm | 9 |
| 2pm | 12 |
| 3pm | 7 |
| 4pm | 8 |
| 5pm | 10 |
| 6pm | 17 |
| 7pm | 8 |
| 8pm | 9 |
| 9pm | 12 |
| 10pm | 11 |
| 11pm | 9 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Sun | 21 |
| Mon | 19 |
| Tue | 18 |
| Wed | 21 |
| Thu | 27 |
| Fri | 34 |
| Sat | 36 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Jan | 17 |
| Feb | 18 |
| Mar | 11 |
| Apr | 14 |
| May | 16 |
| Jun | 13 |
| Jul | 18 |
| Aug | 13 |
| Sep | 12 |
| Oct | 14 |
| Nov | 13 |
| Dec | 17 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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Conditions
Weather and light
| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Clear | 128 |
| Cloudy | 25 |
| Rain | 20 |
| Fog, Smog, Smoke | 3 |
All crashes 2020–2024. Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Daylight | 86 |
| Dark - Not Lighted | 67 |
| Dark - Lighted | 9 |
| Dawn | 8 |
| Dark - Unknown Lighting | 3 |
| Dusk | 3 |
All crashes 2020–2024. Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.
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Roads and vehicles
Where and what, 2020–2024
Roads with the most fatal crashes
- US-113 DUPONT BLVD12
- SR-1 COASTAL HWY10
- US-13 SUSSEX HWY8
- US-1138
- US-137
- SR-16
- US-95
- SR-245
- SR-5 HARBESON RD4
- SR-24 JOHN J WILLIAMS HWY3
Road names as recorded in police reports.
| Category | Vehicles |
|---|---|
| Cars | 117 |
| SUVs | 70 |
| Pickup trucks | 44 |
| Medium and heavy trucks | 18 |
| Motorcycles | 12 |
| Vans | 11 |
| Other vehicles | 1 |
| Other light trucks | 1 |
| Buses | 1 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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Vehicles most often involved
- Chevrolet Silverado10
- Honda Accord10
- Toyota Corolla9
- Honda Civic8
- Ford F-2507
- Nissan Altima7
- Ford Escape5
- GMC Sierra5
- Jeep Grand Cherokee5
- Lexus RX5
Reflects how common a vehicle is as well as crash involvement; not a safety rating.
Crashes
Fatal crashes
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Fatal crashes in 2024. Crashes without reported coordinates are not shown.
Filter crashes
| Date | Location | Road | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 25, 2024 | Lincoln | CUBBAGE POND RD | 1 |
| Dec 18, 2024 | — | US-113 DUPONT BLVD NORTHBOUND | 1 |
| Dec 6, 2024 | — | SR-5 HARBESON RD | 1 |
| Nov 4, 2024 | — | SR-13 SUSSEX HWY | 1 |
| Nov 2, 2024 | — | US-113 DUPONT BLVD | 1 |
| Oct 16, 2024 | — | SR-36 SHAWNEE RD | 1 |
| Oct 13, 2024 | — | 29110 STOCKLEY ROAD | 1 |
| Oct 10, 2024 | Georgetown | SR-20 HARDSCRABBLE RD | 1 |
| Oct 6, 2024 | — | US-13 | 2 |
| Aug 15, 2024 | Seaford | N PARKWAY RD | 1 |
| Aug 2, 2024 | Milford | SR-36 LAKEVIEW AVE | 1 |
| Aug 2, 2024 | — | SHILOH CHURCH RD | 1 |
| Jul 29, 2024 | Lewes | CLAY RD | 1 |
| Jul 17, 2024 | — | US-13 SUSSEX HWY | 1 |
| Jul 15, 2024 | Lewes | TS-GILLS NECK ROAD | 2 |
| Jul 12, 2024 | — | PROVIDENCE CHURCH RD | 1 |
| Jun 29, 2024 | — | SR-1 COASTAL HIGHWAY | 1 |
| Jun 28, 2024 | — | HARMONS HILL RD | 1 |
| Jun 21, 2024 | Milton | SR-1 NORTHBOUND | 1 |
| May 30, 2024 | — | HARBESON ROAD | 1 |
| May 28, 2024 | — | FRANKFORD SCHOOL RD | 1 |
| May 4, 2024 | — | SR-4 SHARPTOWN RD | 1 |
| May 4, 2024 | — | PARKER RD | 1 |
| Apr 23, 2024 | — | TS-FRIENDSHIP ROAD | 1 |
| Apr 19, 2024 | — | SR-1 COASTAL HIGHWAY | 1 |
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Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020–2024. A fatal crash is one in which at least one person died within 30 days. Population: US Census Bureau estimates.