09-03-2025
What is the deadliest day for driving in Delaware? Here's what a study finds
With warmer weather approaching, many Delawareans will be gearing up to hit the road. But if you're planning to head out on a Friday evening, you might want to rethink your timing.
A new study shows that as drivers rush to start their weekends, more lives are lost on Delaware roads than on any other day of the week.
The injury law firm Bader Scott conducted a study analyzing five years of data (2018-2022) from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, revealing deadly patterns in the state's crash statistics.
The findings show that of the 605 fatal crashes in Delaware during this period, nearly one in five happened on a Friday.
Delaware roads see an uptick in interstate travel volume which may contribute to weekend collisions, but a midweek spike in collisions also raises concerns about driver behavior, especially during routine commutes. Wednesday equals Sunday in terms of danger, each accounting for 91 fatal crashes (15.04%).
Monday rounds out the top five with the lowest volume of fatal crashes.
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Here are the top five days of the week with the highest number of collisions:
Rank
Day of the Week
Number of Fatal Crashes
% of Fatal Crashes
1
Friday
114
18.84%
2
Saturday
99
16.36%
3
Wednesday
91
15.04%
4
Sunday
91
15.04%
5
Monday
75
12.40%
Whether heading to the beach, visiting family, or just commuting home for the weekend, experts advise drivers to avoid peak travel times, stay alert and practice defensive driving during these statistically dangerous periods.
To keep track of 2025 fatal crash data, visit DelDOT's traffic fatalities dashboard.
You can contact Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: What is the deadliest day for driving in Delaware?
