Delaware Sees Increase in Traffic Fatalities in 2012

Delaware’s Office of Highway Safety says there were 116 traffic fatalities in the state in 2012, a 12 percent increase over 2011.

The office says the increase was driven by a spike in crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists. There were 30 pedestrian fatalities in 2012 compared to 19 in 2011, and four bicyclists were killed last year after none died in 2011.

Secretary of Safety and Homeland Security Lewis Schiliro says the increase is “very concerning.” He says the office will place an added emphasis on pedestrian safety.

The office also says there were more than 4,900 DUI arrests in Delaware last year, an increase of nearly 700. But DUI arrests are still down significantly from 2006-2009, when there were more than 6,000 per year.