Elsmere, DE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elsmere: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elsmere and New Castle County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use New Castle County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How New Castle County compares with Delaware
New Castle County against Delaware and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where New Castle County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | New Castle County | Delaware | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 59.0 | 53.2 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.3 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 12% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.52 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.6% | 3.7% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.2% | 2.2% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.9% | 25.1% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.7% | 12.0% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.3% | 39.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.5% | 22.7% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with Delaware, New Castle County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark.
What stands out in Elsmere: I-95 13 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Elsmere.
Overview
Police reported 4,020 crashes involving commercial trucks in New Castle County since 2015: 1,975 people were injured and 87 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
With 112 truck crashes reported in Elsmere since 2015, this page uses New Castle County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is May with 9.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 7.4%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.3% of truck crashes, vs 39.9% for Delaware.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (7.0%).
Road surface: 2.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Delaware: 2.2%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-95 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (13). After it: I-295 (6), US-13 (6) and I-495 (5).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 142 of the truck crashes here, or 3.5%, compared with 3.7% in Delaware.
Their busiest month is January, with 11% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.5 deaths compared with 2.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Elsmere fleets
- Review driver schedules for May, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-95; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in January; review collection routes for that month.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in New Castle County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 13 |
| I-295 | 6 |
| US-13 | 6 |
| I-495 | 5 |
| SR-9 | 3 |
| 700 New Jersey Turnpike | 2 |
| SR-1 | 2 |
| SR-273 | 2 |
| US-40 | 2 |
| 500 Block S Market St | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (New Castle County) |
|---|---|
| I-95 John F Kennedy Mem Hwy | 487 |
| I-495 Vietnam Vets Mem Hwy | 222 |
| Sr1 Korean War Vets Mem Hwy | 142 |
| I-95 | 85 |
| I-295 | 56 |
| Us13 Dupont Pkwy | 55 |
| Summit Bridge Rd | 53 |
| I-295 John F Kennedy Mem Hwy | 53 |
Elsmere at a glance
| Population | 6,234 |
| Land area | 1.0 sq mi |
| Density | 6,316 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 19805) | $60,221 |
| Median home value (ZIP 19805) | $235,159 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in New Castle 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 | 308 | — | 7.9 |
| 2000s | 222 | -28% | 6.5 |
| 2010s | 299 | +35% | 5.1 |
| 2020s | 354 | +19% | 6.8 |
In the 1990s about 308 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 354. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 5.5 a year in 2016–19, 6.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elsmere
How many truck accidents are there in Elsmere?
4,020 truck crashes have been reported in New Castle County since 2015, with 87 deaths and 1,975 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Elsmere?
Since 2015, I-95 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Elsmere: 13.
When do most truck crashes happen in Elsmere?
The worst month is May: 9.2% of truck crashes in New Castle County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Elsmere?
142 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in New Castle County since 2015, 3.5% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Elsmere compared with Delaware?
The yearly rate is 59.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in New Castle County, vs 53.2 for Delaware.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Elsmere?
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.