Fatal crash profile · State
Traffic deaths in Delaware
State in United States
- Deaths, 2024
- 126
- Fatal crashes
- 121
- Population
- 1.1M
In 2024, 126 people died in 121 fatal crashes in Delaware. That was 6.7% fewer than in 2023 (135) and the fewest since 2020. The death rate was 12.0 per 100,000 residents, compared with 11.5 in the United States. Delaware had the 44th most traffic deaths of the 51 states and DC and the 24th-highest death rate. Pedestrians accounted for 22% of deaths, and 23% of fatal crashes were speeding-related.
Deaths
Traffic deaths
12.0
deaths per 100,000 residents in 2024
- About the same as the rate in the United States: 11.5
-7%
change in deaths from 2023 to 2024
135 deaths in 2023, 126 in 2024
- The United States: -4%
| Category | Deaths | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 122 | 105 |
| 1976 | 116 | 104 |
| 1977 | 119 | 103 |
| 1978 | 125 | 112 |
| 1979 | 118 | 109 |
| 1980 | 153 | 135 |
| 1981 | 111 | 103 |
| 1982 | 122 | 115 |
| 1983 | 110 | 98 |
| 1984 | 130 | 118 |
| 1985 | 104 | 94 |
| 1986 | 136 | 119 |
| 1987 | 146 | 131 |
| 1988 | 160 | 143 |
| 1989 | 116 | 108 |
| 1990 | 138 | 121 |
| 1991 | 102 | 90 |
| 1992 | 140 | 118 |
| 1993 | 110 | 103 |
| 1994 | 112 | 105 |
| 1995 | 121 | 112 |
| 1996 | 116 | 105 |
| 1997 | 143 | 120 |
| 1998 | 115 | 106 |
| 1999 | 100 | 91 |
| 2000 | 123 | 116 |
| 2001 | 136 | 117 |
| 2002 | 124 | 114 |
| 2003 | 142 | 133 |
| 2004 | 134 | 125 |
| 2005 | 133 | 117 |
| 2006 | 148 | 133 |
| 2007 | 117 | 105 |
| 2008 | 121 | 105 |
| 2009 | 116 | 101 |
| 2010 | 101 | 92 |
| 2011 | 99 | 94 |
| 2012 | 114 | 108 |
| 2013 | 99 | 94 |
| 2014 | 124 | 109 |
| 2015 | 131 | 127 |
| 2016 | 119 | 116 |
| 2017 | 119 | 112 |
| 2018 | 111 | 104 |
| 2019 | 132 | 122 |
| 2020 | 116 | 104 |
| 2021 | 136 | 132 |
| 2022 | 162 | 143 |
| 2023 | 135 | 128 |
| 2024 | 126 | 121 |
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 |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 15.6 |
| 2001 | 17.1 |
| 2002 | 15.4 |
| 2003 | 17.4 |
| 2004 | 16.1 |
| 2005 | 15.7 |
| 2006 | 17.2 |
| 2007 | 13.4 |
| 2008 | 13.7 |
| 2009 | 13.0 |
| 2010 | 11.2 |
| 2011 | 10.9 |
| 2012 | 12.5 |
| 2013 | 10.7 |
| 2014 | 13.3 |
| 2015 | 13.9 |
| 2016 | 12.5 |
| 2017 | 12.4 |
| 2018 | 11.5 |
| 2019 | 13.6 |
| 2020 | 11.7 |
| 2021 | 13.5 |
| 2022 | 15.9 |
| 2023 | 13.0 |
| 2024 | 12.0 |
Uses Census population estimates, available from 2000.
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Road users
Who died
22%
of deaths were pedestrians
- About 1.2 times the share in the United States: 18%
| Category | Deaths |
|---|---|
| Vehicle occupants and others | 71 |
| Pedestrians | 28 |
| Motorcyclists | 22 |
| Cyclists | 5 |
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| Type | Deaths | Share in Delaware | Share in the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pedestrians | 28 | 22% | 18% |
| Motorcyclists | 22 | 17% | 16% |
| Cyclists | 5 | 4% | 3% |
| Alcohol-impaired driving crashes | 32 | 25% | 30% |
| Speeding-related crashes | 31 | 25% | 29% |
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
23%
of fatal crashes were speeding-related
- About 80 percent of the share in the United States: 28%
21%
of fatal crashes involved a drinking driver
- About 85 percent of the share in the United States: 25%
| Category | Delaware | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding-related | 20.7% | 24.8% |
| Alcohol-involved | 23.1% | 28.1% |
| At night | 62.0% | 53.6% |
| At weekends | 29.8% | 32.6% |
Share of fatal crashes. Alcohol-involved means a police-reported drinking driver.
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Timing
When crashes happen
62%
of fatal crashes happened at night
- About 1.2 times the share in the United States: 54%
30%
of fatal crashes happened at weekends
- About the same as the share in the United States: 33%
| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| 12am | 22 |
| 1am | 25 |
| 2am | 19 |
| 3am | 15 |
| 4am | 10 |
| 5am | 18 |
| 6am | 21 |
| 7am | 24 |
| 8am | 16 |
| 9am | 13 |
| 10am | 14 |
| 11am | 13 |
| 12pm | 18 |
| 1pm | 19 |
| 2pm | 28 |
| 3pm | 31 |
| 4pm | 31 |
| 5pm | 47 |
| 6pm | 44 |
| 7pm | 29 |
| 8pm | 43 |
| 9pm | 49 |
| 10pm | 38 |
| 11pm | 39 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Sun | 89 |
| Mon | 78 |
| Tue | 76 |
| Wed | 97 |
| Thu | 73 |
| Fri | 105 |
| Sat | 110 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Jan | 43 |
| Feb | 48 |
| Mar | 40 |
| Apr | 55 |
| May | 63 |
| Jun | 51 |
| Jul | 47 |
| Aug | 51 |
| Sep | 67 |
| Oct | 61 |
| Nov | 46 |
| Dec | 56 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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Conditions
Weather and light
| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Clear | 455 |
| Cloudy | 113 |
| Rain | 47 |
| Fog, Smog, Smoke | 8 |
| Other | 1 |
| Snow | 1 |
All crashes 2020–2024. Crashes where conditions were not reported are left out.
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| Category | Fatal crashes |
|---|---|
| Daylight | 258 |
| Dark - Not Lighted | 219 |
| Dark - Lighted | 95 |
| Dawn | 20 |
| Dark - Unknown Lighting | 19 |
| Dusk | 15 |
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-1338
- SR-125
- I-9520
- I-49513
- US-113 DUPONT BLVD12
- SR-1 COASTAL HWY10
- US-40 PULASKI HWY10
- US-13 S DUPONT HWY9
- US-409
- US-1139
Road names as recorded in police reports.
| Category | Vehicles |
|---|---|
| Cars | 426 |
| SUVs | 225 |
| Pickup trucks | 120 |
| Motorcycles | 97 |
| Medium and heavy trucks | 67 |
| Vans | 27 |
| Other vehicles | 18 |
| Buses | 4 |
| Other light trucks | 2 |
All crashes 2020–2024.
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Vehicles most often involved
- Honda Accord34
- Chevrolet Silverado25
- Nissan Altima25
- Honda Civic23
- Toyota Corolla22
- Ford F-15020
- Toyota Camry20
- Jeep Grand Cherokee18
- Freightliner Cascadia15
- Chevrolet Malibu13
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 27, 2024 | Frederica, Kent County | FREDERICA RD EXIT | 1 |
| Jul 17, 2024 | Sussex County | US-13 SUSSEX HWY | 1 |
| Jul 15, 2024 | Lewes, Sussex County | TS-GILLS NECK ROAD | 2 |
| Jul 12, 2024 | Sussex County | PROVIDENCE CHURCH RD | 1 |
| Jul 7, 2024 | New Castle County | US-13 DUPONT PKWY | 1 |
| Jul 4, 2024 | Wilmington, New Castle County | W 2ND ST | 1 |
| Jul 2, 2024 | New Castle County | US-13 DUPONT PKWY | 1 |
| Jul 1, 2024 | New Castle County | WILSON ROAD EASTBOUND | 1 |
| Jun 29, 2024 | Sussex County | SR-1 COASTAL HIGHWAY | 1 |
| Jun 29, 2024 | Smyrna, Kent County | US-13 S DUPONT BLVD | 1 |
| Jun 28, 2024 | Sussex County | HARMONS HILL RD | 1 |
| Jun 26, 2024 | Kent County | WALNUT SHADE RD | 1 |
| Jun 21, 2024 | Milton, Sussex County | SR-1 NORTHBOUND | 1 |
| Jun 20, 2024 | Newport, New Castle County | SR-4 W NEWPORT PIKE | 1 |
| Jun 17, 2024 | Wilmington, New Castle County | SR-4 | 1 |
| Jun 10, 2024 | New Castle County | I-495 | 1 |
| Jun 8, 2024 | Kent County | WESTVILLE ROAD | 1 |
| Jun 2, 2024 | Newark, New Castle County | SR4 E CHESTNUT HILL RD | 1 |
| May 30, 2024 | Sussex County | HARBESON ROAD | 1 |
| May 30, 2024 | Smyrna, Kent County | US-13 S DUPONT HWY | 1 |
| May 29, 2024 | New Castle County | I-95 OFF RAMP EXIT 3 | 1 |
| May 29, 2024 | Woodside, Kent County | US-13 S DUPONT HWY | 1 |
| May 28, 2024 | Sussex County | FRANKFORD SCHOOL RD | 1 |
| May 28, 2024 | Dover, Kent County | SR-8 FORREST AVE | 1 |
| May 26, 2024 | New Castle, New Castle County | SR-9 NEW CASTLE AVE | 1 |
Explore
Nearby and related
Counties in Delaware
| Area | Deaths, 2024 | Per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Kent County | 30 | 15.6 |
| New Castle County | 61 | 10.4 |
| Sussex County | 35 | 12.9 |
Cities
Cities with at least 10 fatal crashes across the loaded years are listed.
Rankings
Nearby states
Get updates for Delaware
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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.