Smyrna, DE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Smyrna: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Smyrna 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 |
Compared with Delaware, Kent County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
Kent County at a glance: 3.7% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Delaware: 2.2%).
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.
Smyrna had 86 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Kent County numbers.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 9.2% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (6.9%).
November through March accounts for 41.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 39.9% in Delaware.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 8.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 3.7% of truck crashes, compared with 2.2% in Delaware.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-13 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (9). It is followed by SR-1 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 32 of the truck crashes here, or 3.6%, compared with 3.7% in Delaware.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in April (19%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 6.2 deaths compared with 3.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Smyrna fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Kent County.
- Check whether your routes use US-13, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: April is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Kent County.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 3.7% of truck crashes here, more than Delaware; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 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 |
Smyrna at a glance
| Population | 13,326 |
| Land area | 6.4 sq mi |
| Density | 2,079 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 19977) | $76,826 |
| Median home value (ZIP 19977) | $337,453 |
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 large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Smyrna
How common are truck crashes in Smyrna?
Kent County has had 893 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 511 people and killing 29.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Smyrna?
US-13 had 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Smyrna since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Smyrna?
Truck crashes in Kent County peak in March, with 9.2% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Smyrna?
Since 2015, Kent County has reported 32 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.6% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Smyrna compare with Delaware?
Per 100,000 residents, Kent County has 39.1 truck crashes a year; Delaware has 53.2.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Smyrna?
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.