Car Accidents in Wilmington, DE: Crash Data and Road Safety
Key crash statistics, high-risk roads, and accident report resources in Wilmington, DE.
Our Wilmington-based team tracks crash data, reviews official reports, and keeps up with local news to help residents and commuters stay informed. With about 73,500 people in under 11 square miles, Wilmington is crisscrossed by I-95, which passes over the Riverfront on the mile-long Wilmington Viaduct, and served by other major routes like I-495.
We see how everyday safety worries, like speeding, distracted driving, and busy intersections, affect people across Wilmington. By breaking down crash statistics, highlighting high-risk corridors, and sharing practical tips, our team works to make road safety information accessible for everyone in the city.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Wilmington, DE, or want to learn more about crash trends and road safety in your neighborhood, you’re in the right place. Read on for a detailed look at Willimington crash statistics, step-by-step instructions for getting police reports, and resources to help you stay safe in the city.
After a Wilmington Crash: Who Has Your Report
If you’re in a crash on a city street, the Wilmington Police Department will handle the investigation. Crashes that happen outside city limits are usually handled by New Castle County Police (for unincorporated areas) or Delaware State Police (for state highways). It’s important to know that having a Wilmington mailing address doesn’t necessarily mean your crash happened within city limits, so who handles your report depends on exactly where the accident took place.
To get a Wilmington police report, send a written request to the Records Unit at 300 North Walnut Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. Be sure to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a $20 check or money order made out to the Wilmington Police Department. Reports are available to people involved in the crash, their legal representatives, and their insurance companies. If you have questions, you can call the Records Unit at (302) 576-3607.
Delaware State Police crash reports are only available by mail; walk-in requests aren’t accepted. Mail a check or money order for $25 (or $60 for a fatal crash report), made out to the Delaware State Police, along with a copy of your collision information exchange form, to DSP Traffic Operations Section, P.O. Box 430, Dover, DE 19903. For questions, call (302) 739-5931, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Delaware law (Section 4203 of Title 21) requires drivers to immediately report any crash that results in injury, death, suspected impaired driving, or property damage of $2,000 or more on a public road. The police fill out the official collision report; drivers only need to file an extra report if the state specifically asks for it.
Not sure which agency holds your report? We can help you find out. Our Delaware accident resources cover the rest of the state.
Wilmington Police Crash Counts and Pedestrian Data
| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
| Reportable crashes investigated by Wilmington police | 2,443, down from 2,488 in 2024 | 2025 | Delaware State Police annual traffic report |
| Fatal crashes investigated by Wilmington police | 4, up from 3 in 2024 | 2025 | Delaware State Police annual traffic report |
| Injury crashes investigated by Wilmington police | 500, down from 562 in 2024 | 2025 | Delaware State Police annual traffic report |
| Property-damage crashes investigated by Wilmington police | 1,939 | 2025 | Delaware State Police annual traffic report |
| People killed per year on city streets, excluding I-95 and I-495 | about 5 | Yearly average, years not stated | WILMAPCO, Wilmington Safe Streets for All |
| Pedestrian crashes (24 pedestrians killed, 130 seriously injured) | 1,591 | 2007 to 2020 | DelDOT and City of Wilmington Pedestrian Safety Study |
The crash rows come from the Delaware State Police 2025 Annual Traffic Statistical Report, which lists the crashes each police agency investigated. They cover only crashes Wilmington police worked, so a crash another agency investigated inside city limits is not counted. The 2024 report put Wilmington police at 2,439 crashes and 4 fatal crashes in 2023, and New Castle County as a whole had 49 fatal crashes in 2025.
The Wilmington Area Planning Council (WILMAPCO) says five people are killed, and dozens are seriously injured on city streets every year. The pedestrian figures come from a DelDOT and City of Wilmington study whose data ends in 2020.
High-Crash Intersections Across Wilmington
King Street, from Front to 16th Street (just under a mile), had 91 crashes in the DelDOT and City of Wilmington pedestrian study from 2007 to 2020. The study ranked intersections in the city by the number and severity of pedestrian crashes; here are the top locations.
King Street at 4th Street: This intersection topped the study’s list for pedestrian crashes, with 30 incidents. King and 8th Street had 13 crashes. Most of these happened when drivers turned left into people in the crosswalk. The study suggested adding leading pedestrian intervals at 4th and 8th to give walkers a head start before drivers get a green light.
Walnut Street at 4th Street: Third on the study’s top-10 list, this intersection saw 21 pedestrian crashes, 15 of them caused by left-turning vehicles hitting people in the crosswalk. The entire Walnut Street corridor (Front to 16th Street) is one-way northbound with two to four lanes and a 25 mph speed limit, and had 58 pedestrian crashes. The study has a road diet planned for 2025, and WILMAPCO’s Safe Streets for All work also lists Walnut as one of the city’s highest-risk corridors.
4th Street at Franklin, Rodney, and Monroe streets: 4th and Franklin ranked second in the study, while 4th at Rodney and at Monroe also made the top 10 for pedestrian crashes.
Lancaster Avenue at Jackson Street: This top-10 intersection had 6 pedestrian crashes, including 2 where southbound vehicles struck people in the crosswalk—one of them deadly (November 5, 2011). At Lancaster Avenue and Madison Street (where MLK Boulevard and Maryland Avenue meet), another top-10 spot, 1 of 3 pedestrian crashes was fatal (May 13, 2008). WILMAPCO lists Lancaster Avenue as a high-risk street, and in mid-2026, residents ran a city-permitted daylighting test at Lancaster and Connell Street (reported by NBC10).
11th Street at Washington Street: Another top-10 intersection, with 14 pedestrian crashes, most caused by left-turning vehicles.
WILMAPCO also lists Maryland Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue, and North Market Street as some of the city’s highest-risk streets. Its draft safety plan for Wilmington is set for public review in fall 2026.
Trauma Centers Serving Wilmington
Christiana Hospital (part of ChristianaCare, outside city limits) is the regional Level I trauma center for adults, according to the Delaware Office of Emergency Medical Services. Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware (with a Wilmington address), is the regional Level I pediatric center.
Inside the city, ChristianaCare Wilmington Hospital is a Level III community trauma center and transfers patients who need advanced care to Christiana Hospital.
Wilmington Crash Questions, Answered
How many reportable crashes do Wilmington police handle each year?
Wilmington police investigated 2,443 reportable crashes in 2025, according to the Delaware State Police annual report. That’s compared to 2,488 in 2024 and 2,439 in 2023. Of the 2025 crashes, 500 involved injuries and 4 were fatal. Crashes handled by other agencies inside the city are counted separately.
Which Wilmington intersection has the most pedestrian crashes?
King Street at 4th Street ranked first in the DelDOT and City of Wilmington pedestrian study, with 30 crashes involving pedestrians from 2007 to 2020. Walnut Street at 4th Street was third, with 21 crashes, most caused by drivers turning left into people in the crosswalk.
How do I get a Wilmington police crash report?
To get a Wilmington police crash report, mail a written request, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a $20 check or money order to the Wilmington Police Department Records Unit at 300 North Walnut Street, Wilmington, DE 19801. Reports are available to people involved, their legal representatives, and their insurers. For questions, call (302) 576-3607.
How many people die in Wilmington traffic crashes?
WILMAPCO, the regional planning council, says about five people are killed on Wilmington streets each year (not counting I-95 and I-495). Wilmington police investigated four fatal crashes in 2025 and three in 2024, according to the Delaware State Police, which counts fatal crashes by agency, not by number of people killed.
In addition to understanding car accident trends and road safety in Wilmington, it’s important for residents and visitors to be aware of local resources available for assistance after an accident. For more information on how to navigate the aftermath of a crash, including where to obtain police reports and find legal help, check out our comprehensive Delaware local accident resources. These resources can provide guidance and support during a challenging time.
New Castle County Accident Reports on Local Accident Reports
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At Local Accident Reports, we cover crashes in all fifty states. But that’s not all; we also report the latest crashes county by county, not just state by state. Our goal is to give drivers and other road users reliable, up-to-date crash information for any location they’re interested in.
Here you can find some of the most recent crashes in New Castle County, which covers Wilmington along with Newark, Townsend and Pike Creek. You can find recent city reports and the full archive of local news at our New Castle County accident news page.
Wilmington’s crash corners have company. High-crash spots across Delaware turn up from one end of the state to the other, and recent accident alerts follow new crashes as they are reported.
Local Accident Reports compiles this information from public agency sources and published reports for general reference. It is not legal advice and is not an official police record. Fees, forms and deadlines change, so confirm with the agency before you send a request. Last updated October 2026.