73 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

All fatalities and injuries in Osceola County in 2015 involved motor vehicle occupants. A total of 2 motorists were killed and 27 were injured. There were no recorded fatalities or injuries involving pedestrians or cyclists during this period.

Crashes in Osceola County occurred most frequently on Mondays, which saw 14 incidents in 2015. The peak time for crashes was the 7 a.m. hour with 7 incidents, part of a broader morning commuter period. A significant number of crashes, 37 out of 73, occurred during daylight hours.

The majority of crashes, 68.5% (50 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Injury-related crashes accounted for 21 incidents, including 4 with serious injuries and 11 with minor injuries. There were 2 fatal crashes during this period, which resulted in a total of 2 fatalities.

The leading contributing factor identified in crashes was 'Animal,' cited in 19 incidents, or 26% of the total. Following this, failure to yield the right-of-way from a stop sign was a factor in 7 crashes (9.6%). Other notable factors included failure to yield at an uncontrolled intersection, running off the road, and driving too fast for conditions, each cited in 6 crashes (8.2%).

A substantial portion of crashes occurred in favorable conditions, with 27 incidents (37%) happening in clear weather and 29 (40%) on dry road surfaces. Daylight conditions were present for 37 crashes (51%). Adverse road conditions were also a factor, with 11 crashes occurring on snow and 6 on ice or frost.

Analysis of persons involved in crashes shows the 26-34 and 35-44 age groups were most represented, with 28 and 27 individuals respectively. Among the 109 vehicles involved, Chevrolet (25 vehicles) and Ford (22 vehicles) were the most frequent makes recorded in crash reports.

The most common major cause of crashes was attributed to animals on the roadway, accounting for 19 incidents. Failure to yield the right-of-way was also a significant factor, with 7 crashes occurring from a stop sign and 6 at an uncontrolled intersection. Other primary causes included running off a straight road and driving too fast for conditions, each contributing to 6 crashes.

The most frequent first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, recorded in 23 crashes. The second most common event was a collision with an animal, which occurred in 19 incidents. Run-off-road events were also notable, including 9 crashes where the first harmful event was entering a ditch and 7 involving an overturn or rollover.

Crashes were more likely to occur away from intersections, with 31 incidents categorized as happening at a non-junction location. Sixteen crashes occurred at four-way intersections. The data indicates a higher frequency of incidents on straight road segments or between formal junctions.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 34 of the 109 vehicles. Sport utility vehicles (24) and light trucks or pickups (21) were also frequently involved. Notably, 11 tractor/semi-trailers and 2 motorcycles were documented in crash reports.

For the majority of vehicles involved in crashes, no traffic controls were present; this was the case for 77 of the 109 vehicles. Stop signs were the most common form of traffic control noted, being relevant for 12 vehicles involved in collisions. Only one vehicle was associated with a crash at a yield sign.

The front of the vehicle was the most common area of impact, with 24 vehicles sustaining primary damage to the front. An additional 18 vehicles had damage concentrated on a front corner. Side impacts were also frequent, while purely rear-end damage was noted on 2 vehicles.

Crash data reported by location shows that the majority of municipal incidents occurred in Sibley, with 21 crashes. Melvin was the only other city with a recorded crash, accounting for 1 incident.

The vast majority of crashes, 66 out of 73, took place on paved roadways. A smaller but notable portion, 7 crashes (9.6%), occurred on unpaved surfaces such as gravel or dirt roads.

In cases where a roadway factor was cited as a contributor, surface conditions like wet or icy pavement were the most common, noted in 18 crashes. An obstruction in the roadway was listed as a factor in one crash. For most incidents, no specific roadway factor was identified.

Property damage was estimated to be between $1,500 and $7,500 for the largest group of crashes (40 incidents). Twenty-four crashes resulted in damages estimated between $7,500 and $25,000. Nine crashes, or 12.3% of the total, involved high-value property damage estimated at over $25,000.

Single-vehicle, non-collision events were the most common manner of collision, accounting for 25 crashes or 34.2% of the total. Broadside, or front-to-side, collisions were the next most frequent type, with 19 incidents (26%). Rear-end collisions were reported in 6 crashes.

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was moving essentially straight, which was reported for 62 of the 109 vehicles involved. Eight vehicles were legally parked at the time of the collision. Turning maneuvers, both left and right, were the pre-crash action for 6 vehicles.

Of the 140 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority were drivers, accounting for 133 people. The remaining 7 individuals were passengers. No other person types, such as pedestrians or cyclists, were recorded in these incidents.

Across all 140 people involved in crashes, 2 individuals sustained fatal injuries. An additional 27 people were injured, including 4 with serious injuries, 16 with minor injuries, and 7 with possible injuries. Two individuals were recorded with no injury.

Among the 26 individuals for whom safety equipment use was specified, 20 were reported to have used a shoulder and lap belt. Four individuals were recorded as using no safety equipment at the time of the crash. One person was in a child safety seat.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common type, accounting for 38 of the 73 total incidents (52%). Two-vehicle collisions were also frequent, with 34 occurrences. One crash involved three vehicles.