A new package of legislation seeks to address the growing number of traffic fatalities in the First State.
From 2020 and 2022, the number of lives lost on Delaware’s roadways increased from 117 to 165.
“People are dying on our highways and byways across the state. The number of traffic fatalities has gone up, and we’ve reached historical highs in respect to that,” said Governor John Carney.
165 traffic fatalities occurred in Delaware in 2022- matching the state's all-time high in 1988. And 3 months into 2023, 32 people have already lost their lives on DElaware’s roadways.
In response, lawmakers are introducing 6 bills to attack this growing issue from several fronts.
“The one thing that we have seen is the increase in speeding over the course of the last few years. And a number of our fatal, serious injury crashes are a result of aggressive speeding. So adding excessive speeding into the reckless driving citation now will go a long way,” said Delaware Department of Transportation Secretary Nicole Majeski.
She says one bill that would make any speeding violation over 90 miles per hour a Reckless Driving offense is an important preventative measure - since Reckless Driving comes with significantly higher fines, and possible jail time after several offenses.
From 2020 to 2022, excessive speeding contributed to 26 fatal crashes.
Another bill attempts to address alcohol as a factor in traffic deaths. In 2021, alcohol contributed to 26% of fatal crashes in the First State.
While consuming alcoholic beverages while driving is illegal, under current state law passengers are permitted to drink alcohol in a moving motor vehicle. A proposed open container law would not only ban passenger drinking, but also ban any open alcoholic beverages in any passenger vehicle to help prevent driving under the influence.
Delaware is currently one of five states that has not enacted an open container law in vehicles.
And while inclement weather, such as snow, can not be prevented, some of the hazards that come with it can be addressed. Another bill within the package addresses snow plow visibility, and would allow state-owned snow plows to use revolving or flashing green lights.
State Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth Lockman is sponsoring a new “Move Over” law. She says it aims to help drivers be more mindful when they encounter hazards on the road .
“It’s really an expansion of an existing statute where you are required to move over, change lanes, or slow down significantly if you see certain types of emergency vehicles on the side of the road. This expands that to apply to any vehicle in distress, and sort of disabled vehicle that’s there,” she explained.
The goal is to prevent fatalities that occur when a moving vehicle hits a disabled vehicle or pedestrian on the side of the road. In 2022, 13 people were killed in Delaware while in or near stopped vehicles.
The “Graduated Motorcycle Helmets” bill would expand motorcycle helmet requirements - working to reduce the number of motorcyclists who suffer serious and fatal injuries when not wearing a helmet. In the last 5 years, 35 motorcyclists were killed on Delaware roadways when not wearing a helmet. 143 were seriously injured.
This package of bills would also address some of the safety measures for DElaware’s youngest residents by revising Delaware’s child seat law. Delaware's current child restraint law is as follows: “All children must be properly restrained in a federally approved child safety seat appropriate for the child's age, weight and height up to 8 years of age or 65 lbs whichever comes first.” The new bill aims to add specific details to what types of car seats are required for children based on their height, weight, and age.
If passed, enforcement of the child seat law would not take place until after a year-long awareness campaign.
