Delaware’s beach towns, such as Lewes and Rehoboth Beach, host numerous tourists, especially during the summer months. Unfortunately, when traffic increases, so does the risk of distracted driving.
Distracted driving refers to drivers who divert their attention from their driving to do another task, such as texting, eating, or changing the radio station. This dangerous diversion of attention from the road can cause severe accidents and injuries.
People injured in distracted driving accidents in Delaware have legal options and should speak to a Delaware car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
At Brockstedt Mandalas Federico LLC, our team of seasoned lawyers is dedicated to your recovery and will fight to hold negligent parties accountable. For over 25 years, we have helped people injured in vehicle accidents take control of their lives.
Contact our office for a case evaluation and learn about your legal options.
What to Know About Distracted Driving Accidents in Delaware
If you were hurt in a distracted driving accident in a Delaware beach town, here is what our attorneys think is most important to understand.
- A study covering 2000 to 2024 found over 9,200 distracted driving accidents in Delaware, and distraction combined with fatigue and inattention accounted for 21% of fatal crashes in 2025.
- Distracted driving includes visual, manual, and cognitive distractions, and tourists unfamiliar with local roads around Rehoboth Beach add extra risk during the summer season.
- Delaware restricts electronic communication device use while driving under Delaware Code section 4176C, and a cellphone accident lawyer can help investigate whether a driver’s phone use contributed to your crash.
- To recover compensation, you must prove the distracted driver owed you a duty, breached it, and caused your damages, which is why gathering evidence like witness statements and phone records quickly matters.
Is Distracted Driving Common in Delaware?
Yes, they can be. A study covering 2000 to 2024 reported over 9,200 distracted driving accidents in Delaware, averaging 5 per day. Combined with driver fatigue and inattention, distracted driving accounted for 21% of fatal crashes in 2025.
These accidents are preventable if all drivers devote 100% of their attention to driving, not to other tasks.
Tourists who aren’t familiar with roads will constantly refer to their GPS or maps. They are also more prone to the urge to sightsee while driving on the Coastal Highway than to pay attention to the road.
Even resident drivers may get distracted by other road activity and congested traffic.
Read on to learn about the types of behavior that can increase the risk of Rehoboth Beach car accidents from distracted driving.
What Are the Most Common Types of Distracted Driving We See?
Distracted driving refers to anything that takes a driver’s attention off the road. It usually occurs when a driver attempts to “multi-task,” or do something while driving.
Distractions can be visual, manual, or cognitive. Note that some distractions involve more than one type, such as texting on a phone, which involves all three.
Visual Distractions
A visual distraction takes a driver’s eyes off the road. They can include:
- Texting or reading on a phone,
- Looking at the GPS for directions,
- Changing the radio station,
- Searching through a bag for something,
- Adjusting cooling or heating dials,
- Turning to talk to other passengers, or
- Reaching for something on the floor.
Traffic flow can change quickly, and cars change lanes regularly. Any time a driver’s eyes leave the road, the risk of an accident increases because the driver loses the ability to stop or adjust their driving to adapt to changing traffic conditions.
Manual Distractions
A manual distraction takes a driver’s hands off the wheel. Examples that we commonly see include:
- Eating and drinking,
- Reaching for something,
- Texting or scrolling through social media,
- Changing dashboard controls,
- Applying makeup, or
- Fixing your hair.
Road hazards or stopped traffic can appear without warning. If both hands are not on the wheel, it can be difficult to take evasive action or otherwise adjust driving. Or, taking your hands off the wheel can unintentionally cause your vehicle to swerve into the next lane.
Cognitive Distractions
Cognitive distractions take your mind away from the road. Examples include:
- Daydreaming,
- Having an emotional or involved conversation on the phone or with another passenger, or
- Trying to draft a text message or email.
Cognitive distractions can be dangerous even if your eyes never leave the road and your hands remain on the steering wheel. If you’re not concentrating, you may not see changes in traffic or pedestrians crossing the street. And when you do, you may not be able to react fast enough.
Your brain may also have difficulty processing spatial information, leading to misjudgments of speed or distance between cars.
How Can Distracted Driving Be Prevented?
There are many steps you can take to avoid driving while distracted, including:
- Map locations before you leave. One of the most important things when driving through a new town or to a new location is knowing how to get there. Map your destination in your GPS before you leave, and turn on vocal directions to avoid looking at the map.
- Save conversations for later. Deep conversations can divert your focus from the road. Wait to have a conversation until after you reach your destination.
- Don’t use your cell phone. Because cell phone use while driving is prohibited, you should switch to a hands-free device or wait until your driving is complete. Contact a cellphone accident lawyer in Delaware if you think the driver who hit you was on their phone.
- Don’t eat or drink. Try not to eat or drink (unless in an emergency) while driving.
While nothing can be 100% prevented, following these tips can help reduce distracted driving accidents.
Can I Recover Compensation If I Am Injured in an Accident Where Another Driver was Driving While Distracted?
Possibly. To recover after being in an accident, you must prove that the distracted driver was negligent, which requires meeting four elements:
- Duty. All drivers have a duty to drive safely as a reasonable person would and to obey all traffic laws.
- Breach of duty. Drivers who take their attention off the road often breach their duty to drive safely and may break driving laws, such as Delaware’s cell phone ban.
- Causation. You must prove that the breach of duty was the cause of your injuries.
- Damages. It’s not enough that someone was negligent. You must prove that you suffered damages from that breach, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
At BMF, our seasoned legal team will help you gather evidence, such as accident scene photos and video footage, witness statements, expert opinions, and medical records, to build your claim.
Distracted Driving Accidents in Delaware: Common Questions
Straight answers to what our Delaware car accident attorneys get asked most about distracted driving crashes.
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Yes. A study covering 2000 to 2024 reported over 9,200 distracted driving accidents in Delaware, averaging about 5 per day, and distracted driving combined with fatigue and inattention accounted for 21% of fatal crashes in 2025. Beach towns like Lewes and Rehoboth Beach see added risk during the busy summer tourist season.
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Distracted driving generally falls into three categories: visual distractions, like checking a GPS or turning to talk to a passenger; manual distractions, like texting or scrolling on a phone; and cognitive distractions, like an emotionally involved conversation. Many distractions, such as texting, actually combine all three types at once.
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Yes. Delaware restricts the use of electronic communication devices while driving under Delaware Code section 4176C. If you believe the driver who hit you was using a cell phone, a cellphone accident lawyer in Delaware can help investigate whether that violation contributed to your crash.
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Possibly. To recover compensation, you must show the distracted driver owed you a duty to drive safely, breached that duty, and that the breach caused your injuries and damages, such as medical expenses and lost wages. Evidence like accident scene photos, video footage, witness statements, and medical records can help prove these elements.
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Sussex County distracted driving crashes often involve tourists unfamiliar with local roads, heavy seasonal traffic, and disputes over what actually distracted the other driver. Proving fault typically requires gathering evidence quickly, such as witness statements, phone records, and expert opinions, before it becomes harder to obtain.
Sussex County Distracted Driving Crashes Can Get Complex. Don’t Try to Do It All Alone
You shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s negligence. But insurance companies will try to do just that. Their goal is to limit their liability, not help you heal. After a distracted driving accident, they will try to minimize your injuries or push the blame on you.
At BMF, we won’t let these insurance companies take advantage of you. Our experienced lawyers have recovered millions of dollars for our injured clients. We will dedicate our time and resources to fighting for your right to recover, including representing you in court.
Contact us now for a consultation and learn about your next steps.
Legal References Used to Inform This Page
To ensure the accuracy and clarity of this page, we referenced official legal and other resources during the content development process:
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Distracted Driving.” (January 2026).
- Arrive Aliva DE, “The Delaware Office of Highway Safety Announces Enforcements for April Distracted Driving Awareness Month.” (April 2025).
- “Electronic communication devices; penalties,” Delaware Code § 4176C.
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