Lincoln, DE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lincoln: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lincoln 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 |
Sussex County has lower values than Delaware for 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.
What stands out in Lincoln: SR-1 deadliest road: 3 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Lincoln since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,559 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Sussex County. They injured 874 people and killed 45.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 3 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Lincoln since 2015; patterns below come from Sussex County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (9.2% of the year) and are lowest in February (7.1%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 38.2% of truck crashes, against 39.9% across Delaware.
More truck crashes happen at 7–8 am than at any other hour (8.9%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.6% of truck crashes, compared with 2.2% in Delaware.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-1 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). Next come SR-14 (2), SR-15 (2) and CR-213 N Old State Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 66 of the truck crashes here, or 4.2%, compared with 3.7% in Delaware.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in September (14% of them).
They recorded 4.9 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Lincoln fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-1; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: September is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Sussex County.
- Morning starts matter: 28.2% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Delaware.
- 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 Sussex County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-1 | 3 |
| SR-14 | 2 |
| SR-15 | 2 |
| CR-213 N Old State Rd | 1 |
| SR-16 | 1 |
| SR-35 | 1 |
| US-113 | 1 |
| US-13 | 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 |
Lincoln at a glance
| Land area | 2.8 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 19960) | $67,200 |
| Median home value (ZIP 19960) | $274,239 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 76 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 143. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. 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 Lincoln
How many truck accidents are there in Lincoln?
Since 2015, 1,559 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Sussex County (874 injured, 45 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Lincoln?
SR-1 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Lincoln since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Lincoln?
October has the most truck crashes in Sussex County, 9.2% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Lincoln?
Garbage trucks were involved in 66 reported crashes in Sussex County since 2015 (4.2% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Lincoln compared with Delaware?
Per 100,000 residents, Sussex County has 49.6 truck crashes a year; Delaware has 53.2.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Lincoln?
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.