Delaware Road Deaths Outpacing 2017

August 14, 2018

Delaware Office of Highway Safety statistics show the number of Delaware roadway fatalities in 2018 is outpacing last year’s numbers – much to the concern of Delaware officials. At a similar point last year, accident fatalities in Delaware totaled 47. So far this year, at least 61 people have lost their lives in auto accidents. Only 2016 saw a higher number of highway fatalities for this time period at 67. Each year, more than 100 people are fatally injured in wrecks on Delaware roads. Should this trend continue, the number of Delaware accident fatalities will likely exceed last year’s total of 118.

Researchers suggest several possible causes for the rise in the number of fatal accidents. Increased traffic volumes and the prevalence of distracted driving behaviors may be contributing factors. Distracted driving behaviors can include talking or texting on cell phones, interacting with a car’s infotainment systems such as the radio or navigation systems and engaging in personal grooming tasks such as brushing hair or applying makeup.

Fatal Accidents Spike in Summer

Summer is an especially dangerous time in Delaware as out-of-state drivers fill the roadways. Delaware beaches remain a popular vacation spot for many vacationers. Several of the fatal accidents involved out-of-state residents. In early July, a New Jersey family’s Ocean City, Maryland vacation ended in tragedy as a father and his four daughters were fatally injured in a head-on collision. In a separate hit and run incident, a Pennsylvania man also was killed on a Delaware roadway last month.

Weekends are an especially dangerous time on Delaware roadways. Almost half of the deadly crashes that occurred in Delaware last month took place in the time period between Friday afternoon and Monday morning.

This year’s fatal motor vehicle accidents include the following circumstances:

• Motorist being struck by a passing vehicle on Interstate 494 after exiting his car to make a phone call
• Hit and run of a bicyclist riding on shoulder of South DuPont Highway
• Speeding motorist failing to negotiate a curve on Ralph Road
• Motorcycle crash in Laurel
• Motor vehicle collision on Millsboro Highway and Nine Foot Road
• Flaming single car wreck on Concord Pike north of Wilmington
• Heavy duty pickup truck crossing center median on Delaware Route 1 colliding with minivan
• Collision between a burglary suspect and state police trooper in Milton

Delaware drivers are most often cited as being at fault in these fatal accidents. Office of Highway Safety statistics show for the time period 2011-2017, Delaware drivers were found at fault in 84 percent of fatal motor vehicle accidents. While that number decreases slightly in the summer months to between 71-79 percent, the majority of drivers involved in the fatal crashes are Delaware residents.

The Delaware Department of Transportation continues to evaluate all factors involved in these highway deaths in its continuing effort to make Delaware roadways safer. In the case of the tragic five-fatality minivan crash, the collision occurred on a section of Delaware Route 1 that lacked guardrails. In response, the Department of Transportation has announced a plan to install barriers at the site. Police pursuit polices also are being scrutinized as result of the bicycle accident that claimed a life in Milton.

Delaware Car Accident Lawyers at Jacobs & Crumplar, P.A. Handle Fatal Car Accident Claims

If you have been seriously injured or suffered the wrongful death of a loved one in a car accident, the experienced Delaware car accident lawyers at Jacobs & Crumplar, P.A. are here to assist you in obtaining the maximum compensation possible. With offices conveniently located in Wilmington and Georgetown, Delaware, we proudly serve clients throughout the state. To schedule your free confidential consultation with a Delaware car accident lawyer, call us today at 302-656-5445 or contact us online.