Car accident statistics for Sussex County, Delaware (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Sussex County by year

Car accident deaths fell from 37 in 2020 to 28 in 2021, then rose to 46 in 2022. The count fell to 41 in 2023 and to 34 in 2024. The highest count was 46 in 2022, while the lowest was 28 in 2021. The 2024 count was 3 deaths lower than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The annual shares of all traffic deaths were 100.0% in 2020, 96.6% in 2021, 97.9% in 2022, 93.2% in 2023 and 97.1% in 2024. All traffic deaths numbered 37, 29, 47, 44 and 35 in those respective years. These annual death counts cover crashes in Sussex County; they are not counts of fatal crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Sussex County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 143 deaths, or 76.9% of car accident deaths during 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 10 deaths, or 5.4%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 33 deaths, or 17.7%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Each category includes deaths in fatal crashes involving a passenger vehicle. The categories describe the people counted, rather than separate crash totals. For readers searching for a car accident lawyer, these figures remain grouped by crash location and FARS person category.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Angle (side impact) accounted for 55 deaths, or 29.6%; Head-on for 22, or 11.8%; Rear-end for 11, or 5.9%; and Sideswipe for 3, or 1.6%. These are car accident deaths classified by the crash's first harmful event.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 95 deaths, or 51.1%. This row covers first harmful events other than collisions between motor vehicles in transport, such as striking a cyclist, pedestrian, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. A motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic; the classification does not test whether it was physically moving.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Daytime (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.) accounted for 90 car accident deaths, or 48.4%, compared with 95, or 51.1%, at Nighttime (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.). Time of day was Unknown for 1 death, or 0.5%. These figures cover 2020 through 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification recorded 58 deaths as Urban, or 31.2%, and 126 as Rural, or 67.7%. Land use was Unknown for 2 deaths, or 1.1%. Separately, crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 15 car accident deaths, or 8.1%. That figure counts deaths in those crashes, rather than deaths solely among truck occupants.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Delaware and the United States

Sussex County's car accident death rate was 14.6 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. That rate was higher than Delaware's 12.0 and the United States rate of 10.5. The listed neighboring county, Kent County, Delaware, had a rate of 13.9, also lower than Sussex County's rate.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The corresponding death counts were 186 for Sussex County, 613 for Delaware, 176,219 for the United States and 130 for Kent County. Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates and multiply by 100,000. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors. The deaths used in the county rate are assigned by crash location, not by the residence of the people who died.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

Recorded characteristics of all fatal crashes

Recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in Sussex County, of any vehicle type. Shares use all traffic deaths, rather than car accident deaths alone. Speeding-related recorded 62 deaths (32.3%); Roadway departure, 92 (47.9%); At an intersection, 61 (31.8%); and Pedestrian involved, 27 (14.1%).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Motorcycle involved recorded 12 deaths (6.2%); Hit-and-run, 13 (6.8%); Driver distraction reported, 10 (5.2%); and In a work zone, 0 (0.0%). A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so the rows overlap and their shares do not add to 100%. These characteristics are not findings of fault or cause.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can carry several characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These are recorded characteristics, not findings of fault.

About these figures

FARS is a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes involving a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and a death within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. County counts follow crash location, not residency. Data for 2020 through 2023 use Final Files; 2024 uses the Annual Report File, which can change when replaced by the Final File.^[8][6][7]

Rates divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025 and multiply by 100,000. The result is average annual deaths per 100,000 residents, without adjustment for miles driven or visitors. The separately shown July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the rate denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Delaware car accident statistics (2020-2024)