Delaware truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Delaware: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.6 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Delaware compares with United States
Delaware against United States, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Delaware stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Delaware | United States | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 53.2 | 49.7 | 1.1× the US |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.6 | 3.4 | 24% below the US |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.7% | 2.3% | 1.6× the US |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.2% | 6.2% | 64% below the US |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.1% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.0% | 13.8% | 13% below the US |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.7% | 24.8% | 9% below the US |
Delaware has lower values than the US for deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Delaware: 1 in 27 crashes involve a garbage truck (240 since 2015), vs 2.3% across the US.
Overview
Delaware has recorded 6,499 truck crashes since 2015, with 3,375 people injured and 162 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 2 truck crashes a day.
When crashes happen
The worst month is May with 8.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is December at 7.6%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.9% of truck crashes, against 41.9% across the US.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 7.3% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 2.2% of truck crashes, compared with 6.2% in the US.
Where crashes happen
US-13 leads in Delaware with 22 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-1 (14), I-95 (13) and I-495 (5).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 240 crashes, 3.7% of the total, against 2.3% across the US.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in February (11% of them).
They recorded 3.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.6 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Delaware fleets
- Review driver schedules for May, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use US-13, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in February; review collection routes for that month.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Delaware
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Delaware) |
|---|---|
| US-13 | 22 |
| SR-1 | 14 |
| I-95 | 13 |
| I-495 | 5 |
| SR-24 | 5 |
| SR-15 | 4 |
| SR-14 | 3 |
| SR-9 | 3 |
| US-113 | 3 |
| US-40 | 3 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Delaware) |
|---|---|
| I-95 John F Kennedy Mem Hwy | 489 |
| I-495 Vietnam Vets Mem Hwy | 225 |
| Sr1 Korean War Vets Mem Hwy | 179 |
| Us113 Dupont Blvd | 112 |
| Us13 Sussex Hwy | 93 |
| I-95 | 87 |
| Us13 S Dupont Hwy | 80 |
| Us13 Dupont Pkwy | 60 |
Delaware at a glance
| Population | 1,051,917 |
| Land area | 1,948.5 sq mi |
| Density | 540 per sq mi |
Historical data: truck crashes in Delaware since the 1990s
Combines the FMCSA crash file (all reported truck crashes, real coverage from about 1990) with NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes involving a large truck, 1982–2024).
| Decade | Truck crashes / yr | Change | Fatal crashes / yr (FARS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 422 | — | 14.4 |
| 2000s | 324 | -23% | 12.4 |
| 2010s | 470 | +45% | 10.9 |
| 2020s | 577 | +23% | 12.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 422 to 577. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 12.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 12.8 a year in 2020–24.
Counties in Delaware
Largest places in Delaware
Nearby states
Questions fleets ask about Delaware
How common are truck crashes in Delaware?
Since 2015, 6,499 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Delaware (3,375 injured, 162 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Delaware?
NHTSA data shows US-13 with 22 fatal large-truck crashes in Delaware since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Delaware?
The worst month is May: 8.9% of truck crashes in Delaware happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Delaware?
Since 2015, Delaware has reported 240 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.7% of its truck crashes.
How does Delaware compare with the US for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Delaware has 53.2 truck crashes a year; the US has 49.7.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Delaware?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.