Townsend, DE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Townsend: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Townsend 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 Townsend: US-13 deadliest road: 7 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Townsend since 2015.
Overview
New Castle County has recorded 4,020 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,975 people injured and 87 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
Townsend had 43 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use New Castle County numbers.
When crashes happen
May has the most truck crashes, 9.2% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (7.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.3% of truck crashes, vs 39.9% for Delaware.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 7.0% of truck crashes.
2.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 2.2% across Delaware.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-13 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). It is followed by SR-1 (5), US-301 (4) and SR-15 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
142 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.5% share (Delaware: 3.7%).
Their busiest month is January, with 11% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.5, vs 2.3 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Townsend fleets
- Plan May schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in New Castle County.
- Check whether your routes use US-13, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at January schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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) |
|---|---|
| US-13 | 7 |
| SR-1 | 5 |
| US-301 | 4 |
| SR-15 | 2 |
| SR-213 | 1 |
| SR-313 | 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 |
Townsend at a glance
| Population | 2,941 |
| Land area | 1.1 sq mi |
| Density | 2,775 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 19734) | $127,803 |
| Median home value (ZIP 19734) | $426,940 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 308 a year in the 1990s and 354 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 5.5 a year in 2016–19, 6.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Townsend
How common are truck crashes in Townsend?
Since 2015, 4,020 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in New Castle County (1,975 injured, 87 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Townsend?
US-13 had 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Townsend since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Townsend?
The worst month is May: 9.2% of truck crashes in New Castle County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Townsend?
Since 2015, New Castle County has reported 142 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Townsend compare with Delaware?
Per 100,000 residents, New Castle County has 59.0 truck crashes a year; Delaware has 53.2.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Townsend?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.