Laurel, DE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Laurel: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Laurel and Sussex County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Sussex County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4.9 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Sussex County compares with Delaware
Sussex County against Delaware and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Sussex County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Sussex County | Delaware | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 49.6 | 53.2 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.0 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.56 | 0.52 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.1% | 3.7% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.6% | 2.2% | 6.2% | 28% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.2% | 25.1% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.3% | 12.0% | 13.8% | 14% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.2% | 39.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 16.8% | 22.7% | 24.8% | 26% below the state |
Compared with Delaware, Sussex County is lower on on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
Laurel at a glance: US-13 3 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Laurel.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,559 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Sussex County. They injured 874 people and killed 45.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 3 days.
Laurel had 133 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Sussex County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (9.2% of the year) and are lowest in February (7.1%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 38.2% of truck crashes, vs 39.9% for Delaware.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 8.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 1.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Delaware: 2.2%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Laurel is US-13, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by SR-24 (2), SR-30 (2) and CR-46 Old Furnace Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 66 of the truck crashes here, or 4.2%, compared with 3.7% in Delaware.
Their busiest month is September, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 4.9 deaths compared with 3.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Laurel fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Sussex County.
- Check whether your routes use US-13, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in September; review collection routes for that month.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 28.2% of truck crashes here, more than Delaware; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 Sussex County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-13 | 3 |
| SR-24 | 2 |
| SR-30 | 2 |
| CR-46 Old Furnace Rd | 1 |
| CR-543 | 1 |
| CR-62 Whaley Rd | 1 |
| Cr- 62 E Trap Pond Rd | 1 |
| Horsey Church Road | 1 |
| SR-18 | 1 |
| SR-20 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Sussex County) |
|---|---|
| Us113 Dupont Blvd | 107 |
| Us13 Sussex Hwy | 92 |
| Sr1 Coastal Hwy | 50 |
| John J Williams Hwy | 48 |
| Lewes-Georgetown Hwy | 42 |
| Us 13 Sussex Hwy | 36 |
| Seashore Hwy | 32 |
| Sussex Hwy | 30 |
Laurel at a glance
| Population | 4,395 |
| Land area | 2.8 sq mi |
| Density | 1,587 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 19931) | $99,375 |
| Median home value (ZIP 19931) | $299,307 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Sussex 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 | 76 | — | 4.5 |
| 2000s | 61 | -20% | 4.0 |
| 2010s | 106 | +73% | 4.3 |
| 2020s | 143 | +35% | 3.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 76 a year in the 1990s and 143 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 6.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Laurel
How many truck accidents are there in Laurel?
1,559 truck crashes have been reported in Sussex County since 2015, with 45 deaths and 874 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Laurel?
NHTSA data shows US-13 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Laurel since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Laurel?
October has the most truck crashes in Sussex County, 9.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Laurel?
66 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Sussex County since 2015, 4.2% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Laurel compare with Delaware?
The yearly rate is 49.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Sussex County, vs 53.2 for Delaware.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Laurel?
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.