Clayton, DE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Clayton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Clayton and Kent County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Kent County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Kent County compares with Delaware
Kent County against Delaware and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Kent County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Kent County | Delaware | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 39.1 | 53.2 | 49.7 | 27% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.56 | 0.52 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.9% | 3.7% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.7% | 2.2% | 6.2% | 1.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.8% | 25.1% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.7% | 12.0% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.4% | 39.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.1% | 22.7% | 24.8% | same |
Kent County sits below Delaware on crashes per 100k residents / yr. It runs above Delaware on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Kent County: 3.7% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 2.2% in Delaware.
Overview
Police reported 893 crashes involving commercial trucks in Kent County since 2015: 511 people were injured and 29 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 5 days in fully reported years.
Only 11 truck crashes were reported in Clayton since 2015; patterns below come from Kent County as a whole.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 9.2% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (6.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.4% of truck crashes, vs 39.9% for Delaware.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (8.1%).
Road surface: 3.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Delaware: 2.2%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Clayton is US-13, with 9 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come SR-1 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
32 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.6% share (Delaware: 3.7%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in April (19%).
They recorded 6.2 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Clayton fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Kent County.
- Look at alternatives to US-13 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in April; review collection routes for that month.
- With 3.7% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Delaware), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Kent County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-13 | 9 |
| SR-1 | 4 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Kent County) |
|---|---|
| Us13 S Dupont Hwy | 56 |
| Sr1 Korean War Vets Mem Hwy | 37 |
| S Dupont Hwy | 29 |
| Us13 N Dupont Hwy | 28 |
| Bay Rd | 27 |
| Sr1 Bay Rd | 24 |
| Us 13 S Dupont Hwy | 23 |
| Sr-1 Bay Rd | 19 |
Clayton at a glance
| Population | 4,511 |
| Land area | 1.9 sq mi |
| Density | 2,316 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 19955) | $44,634 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Kent County 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 | 56 | — | 2.0 |
| 2000s | 40 | -28% | 1.9 |
| 2010s | 64 | +59% | 1.5 |
| 2020s | 77 | +20% | 2.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 56 a year in the 1990s and 77 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Clayton
How many truck crashes happen in Clayton?
Kent County has had 893 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 511 people and killing 29.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Clayton?
US-13 had 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Clayton since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Clayton?
Truck crashes in Kent County peak in March, with 9.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Clayton?
Since 2015, Kent County has reported 32 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.6% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Clayton compared with Delaware?
Kent County records 39.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 53.2 across Delaware.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Clayton?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.