Low gas prices led to deadlier Delaware roads, experts say

WILMINGTON — Delaware's roads have become deadlier during the past year and a half, and traffic experts are pointing to lower gas prices as a cause.

A total of 130 people died in Delaware collisions in 2015, the most since 2006. Another 58 people lost their lives in 55 crashes through June 27 of this year, an increase of 10 fatalities from the previous year, according to data from the Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

While the crashes are the result of various causes – including speed, drunk driving, and smart phone use – the recent upward trend is propelled by more vehicles on Delaware's nearly 14,000 miles of roads, experts say.

Interstates celebrate 60 with more traffic, congestion

"The bottom line is gas prices are lower, so there's more people on the road," said Jana Simpler, director of Delaware's Office of Highway Safety.

With a record travel weekend expected during the upcoming Fourth of July weekend, the risk of road fatalities will be even higher, said Jim Lardear, spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic. The auto club predicts 115,000 Delawareans will travel between Thursday, June 30, and Monday, July 4, which would be the most on record, according to the company's data.

The average price for one gallon of gas in Delaware was $2.18 on June 26, 52 cents less than this time last year, according to AAA.

"July 4 is the deadliest of all the summertime holidays, if you look at the national data," said Lardear.

More drivers typically speed during holidays and weekends, compared with weekday rush hours when speeds are limited by congestion, said Lardear.  There are also more passengers in each car on average during holidays, he said. A total of 39 passengers in cars and other vehicles have died this year compared with 25 at this time last year, he said.

"There's more discretionary travel out there (now). That's where you have the risk," Lardear said.

Nearly one-quarter of deadly crashes in Delaware this year occurred on a Saturday, according to state data.

AAA: Record travel projected for July 4 holiday

Among those who lost their lives on First State highways this year were two road workers. A Verizon employee was killed near Little Heaven in June when a sport utility vehicle drifted onto the shoulder where he was placing equipment into the back of his vehicle. The previous month, an employee of highway contractor, Enterprise Flasher, died while he was placing traffic cones on the right lane of I-95 in Wilmington.

Following those deaths, DelDOT Secretary Jennifer Cohan said too many Delaware drivers are speeding through work zones.

“All drivers need to be aware they put themselves and the men and women who work along our roads at grave risk when they fail to slow down and be attentive to traffic control devices in work zones," she said in a statement.

Simpler said her agency funds increased police enforcement efforts throughout the year, targeting various kinds of traffic offenses. Between July 8 and July 18, for example, state and local police will receive funding from her office for officers to focus on motorcycle safety, she said. Other patrols have targeted drunk and drugged drivers, speeding, pedestrian safety, and seat belt use, she said.

There are a couple bright spots in data so far for 2016. Pedestrian deaths, which spiked in 2015, were down. There have also been fewer motorcycle deaths during the first six months of 2016 compared with the same period in 2015.

Jason Mallon, a resident of Washington state who travels to Delaware each year, said it is becoming more challenging to ride his Suzuki motorcycle on First State roads. Mallon, who is originally from Claymont, said Delawareans have always been more lead-footed than those in other states. The difference in recent years, he said, is there are more vehicles filling the highways.

He has returned home each year since 1999 to visit friends and family, and while First Staters are skilled at negotiating high speeds, the congestion is what can cause collisions, he said.

"The aggression has always been there, speed has always been there, it's just that there's so many cars on the road today," he said, while at a gas station along U.S. 13 in New Castle.

Candy Kupchinsky, drives to her job at the Delaware Memorial bridge from her home in Middletown. On those commutes, she has seen more distracted drivers in recent years and suggests that cell phones could be part of the reason for the increased number of road fatalities. She often notices vehicles veering out of their lanes, and then suddenly correcting, she said.

"All I see is a lot of texting and talking on the cell phone, and not paying attention," she said. "They're all over the road. They come into the other lanes, and then all of a sudden, they're like 'woah!' "

That increases the danger for all drivers, not just for texters, she said.

"You just have to be aware of your surroundings, and of other people," Kupchinsky said.

Follow Karl Baker on Twitter @kbaker6.