Do you feel safe traveling on Delaware roads? You have good reasons not to. According to the Reason Foundation, Delaware has some of the highest vehicular fatality rates in the nation, with rural areas posing particular danger. The state ranks near the bottom in some studies of rural road safety.
Since moving to Middletown in 2019, I have often wondered about the safety of my commutes. I cannot remember a time in my life when I witnessed so many collisions while driving. When I see erratic, aggressive or distracted driving, I often wonder: Where are the police or troopers patrolling our roads? Far too often, they are invisible and unable to deter bad behavior in any meaningful way.
This troubling reality means that no one is immune to the risks of driving on Delaware roads. Pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists alike face daily hazards on roads that should be designed for safety, not survival. From fluctuating speeds to insufficient pedestrian infrastructure and inconsistent traffic patterns, these conditions contribute to an environment where preventable tragedies occur far too often.
Equally concerning is the apparent lack of urgency from local, county, state and even federal officials. Despite mounting data and the human toll behind it, meaningful and coordinated action has been slow or insufficient. The deadly consequences of this inaction are borne by everyday Delawareans simply trying to commute to work, to walk in their neighborhoods or to travel across the state. Delaware must strengthen its hit-and-run and DUI laws; the current laws are not a strong enough deterrent for bad behavior. Until road safety is treated as a true priority — through better infrastructure, stronger policy enforcement and sustained public investment — Delaware’s roads will continue to present a serious and unacceptable risk to all who use them.
Sadly, some of us know this feeling all too well.
Terrell A. Williams
Middletown
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
