Emphasis Area 4: Roadway Departure
A roadway departure occurs when a vehicle crosses an edge line, a center line, or otherwise leaves the traveled way of any roadway. A roadway departure crash occurs when that vehicle leaves the traveled way and strikes another vehicle, one or more fixed objects located outside of the traveled way, overturns, or a combination of those actions. Often, roadway departure crashes involve a single vehicle; therefore, safety strategies typically first address keeping the vehicle on the roadway and secondly, address the consequences of leaving the roadway. Historically, roadway departure crashes in Delaware have represented a high percentage of fatalities and serious injuries. From 2015 through 2019, nearly 28 percent of fatalities and 16 percent of serious injuries resulted from roadway departure crashes, which is a decrease from 2007 through 2014.
Read more about roadway departure in the SHSP
Roadway Departure Fatalities and Serious Injuries (5-Year Rolling Averages)
