Delaware crash data insights shed light on the cause of traffic fatalities
Delaware has experienced a decrease in traffic-related deaths between 2022 and 2023 across all modes of transportation, including bicyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and vehicle occupants.
State officials reported a 16% decrease in road fatalities in 2023, totaling 137 reported cases compared with 164 in 2022. The decline in fatalities was observed across all modes of transportation – a 13% reduction in pedestrian deaths, a 29% decrease in bicyclist fatalities and a 32% drop in motorcyclist fatalities compared with the previous year.
This trend is noteworthy as Delaware has consistently been ranked among the top fifth of states for car crash-related fatalities. According to the 2021 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the First State recorded the seventh-highest rate of pedestrian fatalities in the country.
Top factors involved in fatal collisions
Although pedestrians were involved in less than 1% of crashes in Delaware in 2023, state data reveals that they represented over 13% of the total fatalities. Analysis of DSHS crash data from 2017 to 2021 shows that pedestrians were the primary contributing factor in traffic fatalities over these five years. Here are the top 10:
Recent studies analyzing crash data have unveiled intriguing insights into the factors contributing to these deadly mishaps. By examining data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, researchers identified the types of intersections with the highest occurrence of deadly collisions and even discovered the specific road characteristics associated with these crashes.
Most common types of intersections at scene of fatal crash
Recently, a law firm commissioned a study to investigate the most dangerous types of intersections in Delaware. Analyzing National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash data, their study found that 64.8% of all fatal crashes occurred at four-way intersections, exceeding the national rate of 61.82%.
Of the 176 fatal crashes examined, 114 occurred at four-way intersections, followed by 54 incidents at T-intersections representing 30.7% of the total incidents. Y-intersections ranked third, contributing to 2.3% of fatal crashes.
According to a spokesperson from the law firm, the analysis of 574 fatal crashes in Delaware over five years revealed that 30.7% took place at some form of intersection.
The most common direction Delaware drivers were headed before crash
Another research study delving into Delaware crash data uncovered compelling details about driver behavior leading up to a deadly collision. A law firm looked into Delaware crash data to examine the main actions carried out by drivers and road features present preceding a fatality.
Analyzing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Delaware crash data from 2017 to 2021, the study found that among the 892 drivers examined 60% were driving straight before the lethal incident took place. The second most frequent action before a fatal collision was navigating a curve, involving 14% of the drivers. Turning left came in third, with 9% of drivers performing this action before being involved in fatal collisions. Stopping in the roadway was the fourth most common act before a deadly crash in Delaware, attributed to 5% of drivers while accelerating on the road was the fifth most common pre-event activity for 2% of drivers.
On April 17, 2024, the Delaware Department of Transportation, Delaware State Police and the Office of Highway Safety will hold a safety summit at the Chase Center in Wilmington to discuss ongoing efforts and new initiatives to address crashes and fatalities on Delaware roads.
You can contact reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware traffic data analysis uncovers main factors in fatal crashes
