184 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

In 2015, there were no fatalities among motorists, pedestrians, or cyclists. All 65 reported injuries were sustained by motorists involved in crashes. No pedestrians or cyclists were recorded as being killed or injured during this period.

Crashes in Grundy County peaked on Thursdays, with 34 incidents, and during the 5 p.m. hour, which saw 21 crashes. A notable seasonal trend was observed, with a sharp increase in crashes during November, which recorded 42 incidents, more than double the monthly average. While 78 crashes occurred in daylight, 36 took place in dark or dusk conditions.

There were no fatal crashes recorded in 2015. The majority of incidents, 138 crashes or 75%, resulted in no injuries and were classified as property-damage-only. The remaining 46 crashes (25%) involved injuries, including 4 serious injury crashes, 20 minor injury crashes, and 22 possible injury crashes.

The most significant contributing factor to crashes was animals on the roadway, cited in 73 incidents, which is 39.7% of all crashes. Other leading factors included drivers losing control (26 crashes, 14.1%), running off a straight road (13 crashes, 7.1%), and failure to yield the right-of-way from a stop sign (11 crashes, 6%).

A total of 78 crashes occurred in daylight on dry road surfaces, and 74 took place in clear weather. Adverse conditions were also a factor in some incidents, with 18 crashes occurring on snow-covered roads and 12 during snowy weather. Additionally, 24 crashes happened on dark, unlighted roadways.

The most common vehicle makes involved in crashes, after consolidating abbreviated names, were Chevrolet (46), Ford (36), and Toyota (19). Analysis of person demographics shows the 26-34 age group was most frequently involved in crashes (56 people), followed closely by the 16-20 age group (49 people).

Collisions involving an animal were the leading major cause of crashes, cited in 73 incidents. The next most common causes were drivers losing control, which accounted for 26 crashes, and running off a straight portion of the road, which was cited in 13 crashes.

The most frequent first harmful event was a collision with an animal, which initiated 73 crashes. A collision with another vehicle in traffic was the second most common event, occurring in 46 incidents, followed by non-collision rollovers, which accounted for 20 crashes.

The majority of crashes, 68 incidents, occurred at non-junction locations rather than at intersections. Of the 37 crashes that did happen at intersections, most (23) were at four-way intersections, while 11 occurred at T-intersections.

Passenger cars were the predominant vehicle type involved, accounting for 128 of the 241 vehicles in crashes. Sport utility vehicles (35 vehicles) and four-tire light trucks or pickups (34 vehicles) were the next most common types. Six tractor-trailers and two motorcycles were also involved in crashes.

A significant majority of crashes, 123 incidents, occurred in areas where no traffic controls were present. For crashes where a control was present, stop signs were the most common type, associated with 32 incidents.

Frontal impacts were the most common type of vehicle damage, with the primary damage area being the front for 36 vehicles and the front corners for another 31 vehicles. Rear-end damage was the primary point of impact for 16 vehicles, while side damage was most prominent on 15 vehicles.

Within Grundy County, the highest number of crashes were reported in or near the city of Grundy Center, with 17 incidents. The city of Dike recorded the second-highest volume with 15 crashes, followed by Conrad and Reinbeck with 5 crashes each.

The vast majority of crashes, 166 out of 184, occurred on paved roadways. Eighteen crashes, representing 9.8% of the total for the year, took place on unpaved gravel or dirt road surfaces.

In cases where a roadway factor was noted as a contributor, adverse surface conditions such as wet or icy pavement were the most common, cited in 16 crashes. Other factors, such as ruts or a work zone, were each cited in only one crash.

Among drivers for whom a condition other than 'apparently normal' was recorded, 6 were identified as asleep or fatigued. Additionally, 3 drivers were noted as being under the influence of alcohol, and 1 had a medical condition such as a seizure.

The most common estimated cost of property damage fell within the $1,500 to $7,500 range, accounting for 133 crashes (72.3%). Forty-three crashes resulted in damage between $7,500 and $25,000, while 7 crashes involved damage exceeding $25,000.

Single-vehicle, non-collision events were the dominant crash type, comprising 98 incidents or 53.3% of all crashes. Among multi-vehicle crashes, rear-end collisions were the most frequent with 21 incidents, followed by broadside collisions with 18 incidents.

The most common action of vehicles immediately prior to a crash was moving straight, which was the case for 127 vehicles. The next most frequent pre-crash maneuvers were turning left (14 vehicles) and being legally parked (11 vehicles).

Of the 306 individuals involved in crashes, the overwhelming majority, 295 people (96.4%), were drivers. The remaining 11 individuals (3.6%) were vehicle passengers. No other person types were recorded.

Across all 306 people involved in crashes, 65 individuals sustained an injury. This included 4 serious injuries, 23 minor injuries, and 38 possible injuries. No fatalities were recorded among any of the involved persons.

In the limited sample of 61 vehicle occupants for whom safety equipment use was documented, 54 were reported to have used a shoulder and lap belt. Six occupants were recorded as having used no safety equipment at the time of the crash.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most prevalent type, accounting for 129 of the 184 total incidents (70.1%). Crashes involving two vehicles numbered 53 (28.8%), and there were two crashes that involved three vehicles.