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State

Delaware

Residents 1,051,917Deaths 2024 126Deaths 2015–2024 1,287Counties 3Routes with pages 11

FARS data are based on police crash reports and other sources; the drunk-driving measure is based on the highest BAC of any driver in the crash. Latest data year: 2024.

Delaware recorded 126 deaths in 121 fatal crashes in 2024, the latest year in NHTSA's FARS, and 1,287 deaths over 2015–2024.

That is 13.0 deaths per 100,000 residents a year, close to the national rate of 11.8. The ten-year total rose 10% from 1,172 in 2005–2014 to 1,287 in 2015–2024.

Relative to the national shares, pedestrians stands out most: 22.6% of people killed against 17.1% nationally. 40.5% of the state's fatal crashes were on rural roads and 54.0% happened after dark.

Among counties with at least 50 deaths in the ten years, the highest rates per 100,000 residents were in Sussex County (16.2), Kent County (15.1) and New Castle County (11.0).

126deaths in 2024121 fatal crashes

13.0per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024US 11.8

+10%ten-year change in deaths1,172 → 1,287

25%crashes with a drinking driverUS 26%

Trend since 1975

People killed in crashes in Delaware by year, 1975–2024. Latest point: 2024, 126 deaths.

Rate per 100,000 residents, 2000–2024

Deaths per 100,000 residents in Delaware and nationally, 2000–2024. Latest point: 2024, 12. this page United States

Year pages: 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975

Compared with the nation

Measure	Delaware	United States
Deaths per 100,000 residents a year, 2015–2024	13.0	11.8
Deaths per 100,000 residents, 2024	12.0	11.5
Deaths, 2015–2024	1,287	389,190
Deaths per fatal crash	1.1	1.1
Change vs previous ten years	+10%	+7%
Share of the national toll	0.3%	100%

Factors

Alcoholcrashes with a driver reported as drinking25%

Speedingcrashes with a speeding-related driver28.8%

Pedestriansshare of people killed22.6%

Motorcyclistsshare of people killed13.6%

Unrestrainedoccupant deaths with no restraint used47.4%

In darknesscrashes after dark54%

Rural roadscrashes on rural roads40.5%

tick marks the US share. Bars are shares of fatal crashes (alcohol, speeding, darkness, rural) or of people killed (pedestrians, motorcyclists, unrestrained occupants) over the ten-year window.

Counties ranked by rate

Deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024. Small counties on through routes can rank high on few deaths; the deaths column gives the scale. Counties with fewer than 10 fatal crashes in the ten years show no factor shares.

#	County	Residents	Deaths 2015–2024	Per 100k / yr	Deaths 2024	Alcohol	Speeding
1	Sussex County	271,134	389	16.2	35	26%	30%
2	Kent County	192,690	275	15.1	30	25%	29%
3	New Castle County	588,093	623	11.0	61	24%	28%

Routes with the most fatal crashes

#	Route	Type	Fatal crashes	Deaths	Alcohol	Speeding
1	US Route 13	US highway	159	171	16%	15%
2	State Route 1	State highway	100	111	19%	28%
3	Interstate 95	Interstate	51	55	37%	29%
4	US Route 113	US highway	41	43	20%	22%
5	US Route 40	US highway	36	37	14%	17%
6	State Route 4	State highway	29	29	21%	38%
7	Interstate 495	Interstate	24	29	33%	33%
8	State Route 9	State highway	24	26	29%	25%
9	State Route 24	State highway	22	24	32%	18%
10	State Route 2	State highway	20	21	15%	10%
11	US Route 9	US highway	20	23	15%	20%

Signed Interstate, US and state routes with at least 20 fatal crashes in 2015–2024; 11 routes in Delaware qualify. Local streets and county roads are not listed. Long routes carry more traffic and so more crashes; this is a count, not a rate.

Time of day and day of week

	12am			3am			6am			9am			12pm			3pm			6pm			9pm
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Fatal crashes in Delaware by weekday and hour, 2015–2024: darker cells are busier. 1,207 crashes with a known hour and weekday.

By weekday

Saturday18%

Friday17%

Sunday14%

Wednesday14%

Monday13%

Thursday12%

Tuesday12%

Light condition

Daylight41%

Dark, not lighted38%

Dark, lighted14%

Dusk3%

Dawn2%

Dark, lighting unknown2%

Road type

Other principal arterial33%

Major collector21%

Minor arterial17%

Local12%

Interstate7%

Other freeways and expressways5%

Minor collector5%

FHWA functional classes (FARS FUNC_SYS), share of fatal crashes with a reported class; tick marks the national share. What the classes mean.

Questions and answers

How many people died in crashes in Delaware in 2024?

126 people in 121 fatal crashes, per NHTSA's FARS annual file. Over 2015–2024 the total is 1,287.

How does Delaware compare with the national rate?

13.0 deaths per 100,000 residents a year over 2015–2024, against 11.8 nationally; in 2024 alone, 12.0 against 11.5.

Which counties in Delaware have the most fatal crashes?

By deaths over 2015–2024: New Castle County (623), Sussex County (389) and Kent County (275). The county table ranks by rate per 100,000 residents instead, which is a fairer comparison across sizes.

What share of fatal crashes in Delaware involved alcohol or speeding?

25.0% of fatal crashes in 2015–2024 had a driver reported as drinking (US: 26.3%) and 28.8% had a speeding-related driver (US: 27.2%).

Which routes in Delaware have the most fatal crashes?

US Route 13 (159 fatal crashes, 2015–2024), State Route 1 (100 fatal crashes, 2015–2024) and Interstate 95 (51 fatal crashes, 2015–2024). Route pages exist for signed routes with at least 20 fatal crashes in the ten years.

Provenance

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System annual files 1975–2024; US Census Bureau Population Estimates Program. Data through 31 Dec 2024; generated 30 Sep 2026. See methodology, sources and corrections.