284 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

In 2015, motorists accounted for the vast majority of killed or seriously injured individuals in Benton County. A total of 10 motorists were killed and 118 were injured in crashes. Additionally, one pedestrian fatality was recorded during this period, while no cyclist fatalities or injuries were reported.

Crash frequency in Benton County peaked on Saturdays, which saw a total of 52 incidents in 2015. The single busiest hour for crashes was 4 p.m., with 23 recorded events. While crashes occurred throughout the day, a significant portion, 135 incidents, happened during daylight hours, compared to 70 in dark conditions.

The majority of crashes, 200 out of 284 (70.4%), resulted in no injuries. However, 80 crashes (28.2%) involved at least one injury, categorized as serious, minor, or possible. A total of 4 crashes were classified as fatal, which resulted in 11 individual fatalities, underscoring that a single crash can have multiple tragic outcomes.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 4 fatal crash events resulted in 11 persons killed.

Collisions involving an animal were the leading contributing factor, attributed to 82 crashes (28.9%). The second most frequent factor was drivers losing control, cited in 41 incidents (14.4%). Other significant factors included running off a straight road and failure to yield from a stop sign, each contributing to 20 crashes.

A large portion of crashes occurred in favorable conditions, with 135 (47.5%) happening in daylight, 128 (45.1%) in clear weather, and 154 (54.2%) on dry road surfaces. Adverse conditions were also a factor, including 20 crashes in rain and 24 on wet roads. Crashes on roads affected by ice or snow were also recorded, with 14 on icy surfaces and 12 on snow-covered roads.

Among the 531 people involved in crashes, the 16-20 age group was the most represented, with 92 individuals. The 45-54 age group followed with 84 individuals. Analysis of the 400 vehicles involved shows that Chevrolet (including CHEV and CHEVROLET entries, totaling 108) and Ford (60) were the most frequently recorded makes.

The most frequently cited major cause for crashes in Benton County was 'Animal,' accounting for 82 incidents. 'Lost Control' was the second leading cause with 41 crashes. 'Ran off road - straight' and 'FTYROW: From stop sign' were tied for the third most common cause, each being cited in 20 crashes.

The most common first harmful event was a 'Collision with: Vehicle in traffic,' which occurred in 89 crashes. This was closely followed by 'Collision with: Animal,' recorded in 81 crashes. Run-off-road events were also significant, with the first harmful event being a collision with a ditch in 39 cases and an overturn or rollover in 22 cases.

The majority of crashes in Benton County occurred on non-intersection segments of the roadway. Specifically, 133 crashes, or 46.8% of the total, happened on straight or curved road sections away from any junction. In contrast, 62 crashes took place at four-way or T-intersections.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 192 of the 400 vehicles. Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) were the next most frequent with 79 vehicles, followed by light trucks and pickups with 67. The data also shows involvement from 8 tractor/semi-trailers and 8 motorcycles.

A significant majority of crashes, 249 out of 284, occurred where no traffic controls were present. This represents 87.7% of all incidents in the county. For crashes that did happen at controlled locations, stop signs were the most common type of traffic control, present in 44 incidents.

Frontal impacts were the most common area of damage recorded on vehicles involved in crashes. A total of 88 vehicles sustained primary damage to the front, with an additional 39 damaged on the front driver-side corner and 28 on the front passenger-side corner. Rear impacts were noted as the most damaged area on 20 vehicles.

Driver impairment was suspected in 11 crashes, representing 3.9% of all incidents in Benton County. Among these, alcohol was the sole factor in 8 crashes, drugs were the factor in 2 crashes, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 1 crash.

Within Benton County, the city of Vinton had the highest crash volume, with 48 incidents recorded in 2015. Belle Plaine followed with 12 crashes, and Urbana had 9 crashes. Several other municipalities, including Van Horne, Atkins, and Shellsburg, recorded three or fewer crashes each.

Crashes in Benton County predominantly occurred on paved roads, with 246 incidents reported. However, a notable number of crashes, 37, took place on unpaved surfaces such as gravel or dirt roads. This accounts for approximately 13% of crashes where the road surface type was specified.

In a minority of crashes, specific roadway factors were identified as contributors. The most common was 'Surface condition (e.g. wet, icy),' cited in 20 incidents. 'Work Zone' was listed as a contributing factor in 4 crashes, while other factors like a slippery surface or an obstruction in the roadway were noted in a few other cases.

While most drivers were recorded as 'apparently normal,' a number of crashes involved drivers with other noted conditions. Eleven drivers were recorded as being under the influence of alcohol. Additionally, 5 drivers were noted as being asleep or fatigued, a condition that can be a factor in rural driving environments.

The estimated property damage for the majority of crashes fell into the '$1,500 - $7,500' category, which applied to 214 incidents. A smaller number of crashes resulted in higher damage, with 58 estimated between $7,500 and $25,000, and 8 crashes causing damage of $25,000 or more.

Single-vehicle, non-collision events were the most common manner of crash, accounting for 150 incidents or 52.8% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, broadside (front-to-side) collisions were the most frequent, with 40 occurrences (14.1%). Rear-end collisions were the next most common type, with 26 incidents (9.2%).

The overwhelming majority of vehicles involved in crashes were moving straight ahead just prior to the incident. This pre-crash action was recorded for 256 of the 400 vehicles in the dataset. Turning left was the next most common action, noted for 22 vehicles.

Of the 531 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority were drivers, accounting for 492 people. Passengers made up the next largest group with 38 individuals. The data also includes one pedestrian involved in a crash.

Out of 531 people involved in crashes, 11 sustained fatal injuries and 118 sustained non-fatal injuries. The non-fatal injuries included 18 serious injuries, 55 minor injuries, and 45 possible injuries. The data indicates that a significant number of individuals involved in these crashes were not physically harmed.

Among the 112 vehicle occupants for whom safety equipment use was recorded, 94 were using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 16 individuals were recorded as using no safety restraints at all. This represents 14.3% of the occupants with known restraint use.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common type of incident, accounting for 175 of the 284 total crashes (61.6%). Two-vehicle crashes were the next most frequent, with 103 incidents. Multi-vehicle crashes involving three or more vehicles were rare, with only 6 such events recorded.