41 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

In 2015, all 17 reported injuries in Pocahontas County involved motorists, and there were no fatalities. There were no pedestrians or cyclists reported as killed or injured in traffic crashes during this period. The data indicates that all casualties were vehicle occupants.

Crashes in Pocahontas County occurred most frequently on Wednesdays, which saw 8 incidents in 2015. The peak time for crashes was the 4 p.m. hour, with 4 separate events recorded. The majority of collisions, 28 out of 41, happened during daylight hours.

In 2015, approximately 65.9% of crashes (27 incidents) in Pocahontas County were property-damage-only events with no injuries. The remaining 14 crashes involved injuries, including 2 with serious injuries, 7 with minor injuries, and 5 with possible injuries. There were no fatal crashes recorded during this period.

The leading contributing factor identified in Pocahontas County crashes was 'Lost Control,' cited in 5 incidents, or 12.2% of the total. Other significant factors included 'Operating vehicle in a reckless, erratic, careless, negligent manner,' 'Failure to yield right of way from a stop sign,' and 'Ran off road - straight,' each accounting for 4 crashes (9.8%).

The vast majority of crashes in 2015 occurred in ideal driving conditions, with 75.6% of incidents happening in clear weather and 73.2% on dry road surfaces. Over two-thirds of crashes (68.3%) occurred during daylight. Crashes in adverse conditions included 4 on icy or frosty roads and 3 during rain.

Analysis of the 83 people involved in crashes shows the 35-44 and 45-54 age groups were most represented, each with 13 individuals. Among the 66 vehicles involved, Ford and Chevrolet were the most frequent makes with 15 vehicles each, followed by Dodge with 10 vehicles.

The primary major cause of crashes was 'Lost Control,' which was attributed to 5 incidents (12.2%). This was followed by three other causes, each accounting for 4 crashes (9.8%): 'Operating vehicle in a reckless, erratic, careless, negligent manner,' 'Failure to yield right of way from a stop sign,' and 'Ran off road - straight.'

The most common first harmful event was a 'Collision with a Vehicle in traffic,' which occurred in 17 crashes, representing 41.5% of the total. Non-collision events like 'Overturn/rollover' accounted for 6 incidents. Collisions with animals were cited as the first harmful event in 2 crashes.

Crashes were more likely to occur away from intersections, with 19 incidents (46.3%) happening on non-junction road segments. Four-way intersections were the most common junction type for collisions, accounting for 13 crashes (31.7%). An additional 3 crashes occurred at driveway access points.

Light trucks, including pickups and panel trucks, were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 22 of the 66 vehicles (33.3%). Passenger cars were the second most frequent with 19 vehicles (28.8%). Notably, tractor/semi-trailers were involved in 12 instances, representing 18.2% of all vehicles in crashes.

The data shows that for a large majority of vehicles involved in crashes, no traffic controls were present. This was the case for 55 out of 66 vehicles (83.3%). Stop signs were the most common form of traffic control noted, present for 7 of the vehicles involved in collisions.

Frontal impacts were the most common area of vehicle damage, with 'Front - driver side corner' (11 vehicles) and 'Front' (9 vehicles) being the most cited locations. Side impacts were also frequent, with 'Driver side - middle' damage recorded for 8 vehicles. Damage to the 'Rear' of the vehicle was noted for 4 vehicles.

Within Pocahontas County, the city of Pocahontas had the highest crash volume with 8 incidents reported in 2015. The town of Laurens followed with 5 crashes, and Rolfe recorded 3 crashes. A significant number of the county's crashes occurred outside of any incorporated city limits.

The vast majority of crashes, 37 out of 41, occurred on paved roadways. Crashes on unpaved surfaces like gravel or dirt roads accounted for 4 incidents, representing 9.8% of the total for the year.

The most common estimated property damage cost was in the '$1,500 - $7,500' range, which applied to 25 crashes, or 61% of the total. High-damage crashes, with estimates of '$25,000 or more,' accounted for 6 incidents (14.6%). An additional 8 crashes fell into the '$7,500 - $25,000' damage category.

Single-vehicle, non-collision events were the most frequent crash type, accounting for 18 incidents or 43.9% of all crashes in 2015. Among multi-vehicle collisions, broadside crashes were the most common, with 7 incidents (17.1%), followed by same-direction sideswipes with 6 incidents (14.6%).

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was 'Movement essentially straight,' which was reported for 38 of the 66 vehicles involved (57.6%). The next most frequent actions were vehicles being 'Legally Parked' (7 vehicles) and 'Turning left' (6 vehicles).

Of the 83 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority were drivers, accounting for 80 people or 96.4% of the total. Passengers made up the remaining 3 individuals. No pedestrians or cyclists were recorded in any crash reports for the year.

A total of 17 people sustained injuries in crashes, representing 20.5% of all individuals involved. Of those injured, 2 suffered serious injuries, 7 had minor injuries, and 8 had possible injuries. No fatalities were recorded among the 83 people involved in crashes during this period.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common scenario, accounting for 23 of the 41 crashes (56.1%). Single-vehicle crashes were also frequent, with 17 incidents representing 41.5% of the total. One crash involved three vehicles.