405 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

Of the individuals killed or injured, the vast majority were motorists. A total of 5 motorists were killed and 150 were injured in crashes during this period. There were no pedestrian fatalities or injuries reported. Three cyclists were injured in collisions, but none were killed.

Crash patterns in Iowa County show a slight peak on weekends, with Saturday recording the highest number of incidents at 63. The single most frequent hour for crashes was 6 a.m., with 32 incidents, suggesting a morning commute risk. While a majority of crashes occurred during daylight (167 incidents), a substantial number also happened in dark conditions, with 78 on unlighted roadways and 11 on lighted ones.

The vast majority of crashes, 313 out of 405 (77.3%), resulted in no injuries. Incidents involving injuries totaled 87, with these being categorized as serious (10), minor (34), or possible (43). A total of 5 crashes were fatal, accounting for 1.2% of all incidents and resulting in 5 fatalities.

The leading contributing factor to crashes was overwhelmingly identified as 'Animal,' accounting for 145 incidents or 35.8% of the total. Following this, driver-related actions such as 'Lost Control' (44 crashes, 10.9%) and 'Ran off road - straight' (39 crashes, 9.6%) were the next most common factors cited in crash reports.

A substantial number of crashes occurred in seemingly ideal driving conditions. Reports indicate 177 crashes (43.7%) happened on dry roads, 143 (35.3%) in clear weather, and 167 (41.2%) during daylight hours. However, adverse conditions were also a factor, with 27 crashes on icy or frosty roads and 23 occurring during snowfall.

Among the 715 people involved in crashes, the most represented age groups were 26-34 years old (134 individuals) and 45-54 years old (124 individuals). An analysis of the 553 vehicles involved shows that Ford was the most frequent make, with 110 vehicles. Chevrolet (including 'CHEV' variants) was second with 105 vehicles, followed by Dodge (including 'DODG' variants) with 41 vehicles.

The most frequently cited major cause for crashes was 'Animal,' which was attributed to 145 incidents. Driver actions followed, with 'Lost Control' being a factor in 44 crashes and 'Ran off road - straight' in 39 crashes. 'Driving too fast for conditions' was also a notable cause, contributing to 27 incidents.

The initial event in a majority of crashes involved a collision with an animal, which occurred in 145 incidents. The second most common first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, accounting for 110 crashes. Collisions with fixed objects were also significant, led by impacts with cable barriers (39 crashes) and ditches (28 crashes).

The majority of crashes, 190 incidents, occurred at non-junction locations along a roadway. Intersections were the site of a smaller but significant number of crashes, with four-way intersections accounting for 31 incidents and T-intersections for 15. Crashes related to driveway access were noted in 15 incidents.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 234 units recorded. Sport utility vehicles (105 units) and four-tire light trucks or pickups (88 units) were the next most frequent. Notably, 49 incidents involved a tractor/semi-trailer, highlighting a significant presence of commercial trucks in area collisions.

A large majority of crashes, 356 incidents, occurred on roadway segments where no traffic controls were present. In locations with traffic controls, stop signs were the most common device, present at the scene of 41 crashes. Traffic signals were a factor in 7 crashes.

Analysis of vehicle damage indicates that frontal impacts were the most common. The primary point of impact was the front for 107 vehicles, the front-driver side corner for 45 vehicles, and the front-passenger side corner for 43 vehicles. Rear impacts were noted on 33 vehicles, suggesting a smaller but notable share of rear-end type collisions.

Within Iowa County, the highest volume of crashes was reported in Williamsburg, with 37 incidents. Marengo recorded the second-highest number with 24 crashes. Other municipalities with reported crashes include Victor (6), North English (3), and Parnell (1).

Crashes occurred predominantly on paved roadways, with 374 incidents. However, a notable number of crashes, 29 in total, were reported on unpaved surfaces like gravel or dirt roads. This represents approximately 7.2% of crashes where the road surface type was specified.

Among roadway-related contributing factors, adverse surface conditions such as wet or icy pavement were the most commonly cited, contributing to 54 crashes. Other factors were noted far less frequently, with traffic backups from prior crashes being a factor in 7 incidents and ruts or holes in the road surface contributing to 3 incidents.

In cases where a driver's condition was noted as something other than 'apparently normal,' the most common factor was being asleep or fatigued, which was recorded for 19 drivers. Driving under the influence of alcohol was the next most frequent condition, cited for 9 drivers. Medical conditions and illness were also noted in a small number of cases.

The most common estimated cost of property damage fell within the $1,500 to $7,500 range, which applied to 289 of the 405 crashes. High-damage incidents, with costs estimated at $25,000 or more, accounted for 17 crashes, or approximately 4.2% of the total. Crashes with damage estimated between $7,500 and $25,000 numbered 93.

Single-vehicle, non-collision events were the dominant manner of collision, accounting for 219 crashes or 54.1% of all incidents. Among multi-vehicle crashes, rear-end collisions were the most frequent type, with 45 incidents (11.1%), followed by broadside collisions with 34 incidents (8.4%).

The most common action of vehicles immediately prior to a crash was moving straight ahead, which was the case for 326 vehicles involved. The next most frequent pre-crash actions were slowing or stopping (36 vehicles) and turning left (24 vehicles).

Of the 715 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority were drivers, accounting for 644 people. Passengers comprised the next largest group with 67 individuals. A small number of non-motorists were also involved, including 3 bicyclists and 1 other non-motorist.

Among the 715 people involved in traffic incidents, 5 sustained fatal injuries and 154 sustained non-fatal injuries. The injuries were categorized as serious for 21 individuals, minor for 62, and possible for 71. The majority of people involved were not physically injured.

Based on the limited data available for safety equipment usage, 104 individuals were recorded as using a shoulder and lap belt. Nine individuals were explicitly noted as not using any safety equipment. The use of child safety seats was recorded for 5 children.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common type of incident, accounting for 276 of the 405 total crashes (68.1%). Two-vehicle collisions were the next most frequent, with 116 incidents (28.6%). Crashes involving three or more vehicles were rare, with only 13 such events recorded.