2,087 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

In 2015, motorists accounted for the largest group of traffic fatalities and injuries. Ten motorists were killed and 755 were injured in crashes. Vulnerable road users were also impacted; two pedestrians were killed and 28 were injured, while one cyclist was killed and 22 were injured.

Crash frequency in Pottawattamie County peaked on Fridays, which saw 341 incidents in 2015. The single most common time for a crash was the 3 p.m. hour, with 191 events recorded. Consistent with these commuter-hour peaks, a majority of crashes, 1,328 in total, occurred during daylight hours.

Of the 2,087 crashes, 1,397 (66.9%) resulted in no injuries, being classified as property damage only. The remaining 690 crashes involved some level of injury, ranging from possible (427 crashes) to serious (49 crashes). There were 13 fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 13 persons killed.

The most common contributing factor identified in 2015 crashes was 'Followed too close,' which was cited in 301 incidents, accounting for 14.4% of the total. Collisions with animals were the second-leading cause, noted in 212 crashes (10.2%). 'Lost Control' was the third most frequent factor, contributing to 148 crashes (7.1%).

The majority of traffic crashes in 2015 occurred in favorable conditions. Specifically, 1,265 crashes (60.6%) happened in clear weather, 1,441 (69.0%) on dry road surfaces, and 1,328 (63.6%) in daylight. Adverse conditions were less frequent, with 156 crashes occurring during rain, 89 in snow, and 291 on wet roads. Crashes in darkness occurred in 515 instances, split between lighted and unlighted roadways.

Among the 4,516 people involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented with 699 individuals, followed by the 35-44 and 45-54 age groups, each with 600 individuals. An analysis of the 3,588 vehicles involved shows that Chevrolet was the most frequent make with 641 vehicles, followed by Ford with 568 vehicles, and Dodge with 279 vehicles.

The leading major cause assigned to crashes was 'Followed too close,' cited in 301 incidents. The second most frequent cause was interaction with an 'Animal,' noted in 212 crashes. 'Lost Control' was the third-ranked cause, contributing to 148 crashes.

The most common first harmful event was a 'Collision with: Vehicle in traffic,' which occurred in 1,188 crashes. The second most frequent event was a 'Collision with: Animal,' recorded in 205 incidents. Single-vehicle run-off-road events were also common, with the first harmful event being an 'Overturn/rollover' in 85 crashes and a collision with a ditch in 99 crashes.

A majority of crashes, 1,136 incidents, occurred at non-intersection locations. Four-way intersections were the most common type of junction for crashes, accounting for 461 incidents. T-intersections were the site of 82 crashes, while incidents related to interchange ramps, including merge and diverge areas, accounted for a combined 70 crashes.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 1,769 of the vehicles. Sport utility vehicles were the second most frequent with 658 vehicles, followed by four-tire light trucks or pickups with 606 vehicles. There were also 150 tractor/semi-trailers and 58 motorcycles involved in collisions.

Analysis of traffic controls present at crash locations shows that a majority of vehicles were involved in areas with no traffic controls present, accounting for 2,129 vehicles. For crashes at controlled locations, traffic signals were the most common device, present for 825 vehicles, followed by stop signs, which were present for 331 vehicles.

The most frequently damaged area on vehicles was the front, recorded for 1,005 vehicles, indicating a high number of frontal collisions. The rear was the second most common point of impact, with 476 vehicles sustaining rear damage, which aligns with the prevalence of rear-end collisions. Corner impacts were also common, with 277 vehicles damaged at the front-driver-side corner and 257 at the front-passenger-side corner.

In 2015, 93 crashes, or 4.5% of the total, were noted as involving an impaired driver. Among these incidents where impairment type was specified, alcohol was a factor in 82 cases, drugs were a factor in 5 cases, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 3 cases.

Crash distribution across municipalities shows a heavy concentration in Council Bluffs, which accounted for 1,521 of the county's crashes. In contrast, other towns recorded significantly fewer incidents, with Avoca, Carter Lake, and Crescent each reporting 13 crashes, and Neola reporting 12 crashes.

The overwhelming majority of crashes occurred on paved roadways, with 2,003 incidents. Crashes on unpaved surfaces such as gravel or dirt roads were less common, accounting for 77 crashes, or approximately 3.7% of the total where surface type was recorded.

Among crashes where a roadway factor was cited as a contributor, 'Surface condition' such as wet or icy roads was the most common, noted in 154 incidents. Work zones were identified as a contributing factor in 32 crashes, and debris on the roadway was a factor in 12 crashes.

In cases where a driver's condition was recorded as something other than 'apparently normal,' being 'Under the influence of alcohol' was the most frequent, noted for 95 drivers. The second most cited condition was 'Asleep/fatigued,' which was recorded for 24 drivers. A 'Medical condition' was noted for 10 drivers.

The most common estimated property damage cost was in the '$1,500 - $7,500' range, which applied to 1,525 crashes. There were 427 crashes with damages estimated between '$7,500 - $25,000'. A smaller number of incidents, 51, resulted in high-value property damage estimated at '$25,000+' per crash.

Single-vehicle, non-collision events such as running off the road or overturning were the most common crash type, accounting for 701 incidents (33.6%). Rear-end collisions were the second most frequent manner of collision, with 501 crashes (24.0%), followed by broadside collisions, which occurred 349 times (16.7%).

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles involved was 'Movement essentially straight,' recorded for 2,097 vehicles. 'Turning left' was the second most frequent action with 286 vehicles, followed by vehicles that were 'Legally Parked' prior to being struck, which accounted for 193 instances.

For incidents involving pedestrians and other non-motorists, the most common action at the time of the crash was 'Entering or crossing roadway,' which was recorded in 35 instances. The next most frequent action was 'Movement: Along roadway with traffic,' noted in 6 instances.

Of the 4,516 people involved in crashes, the vast majority, 4,225 individuals, were drivers. Passengers constituted the next largest group with 232 people. The data also includes 30 pedestrians and 24 bicyclists involved in collisions.

Across all 4,516 individuals involved in crashes, 13 sustained fatal injuries and 57 suffered serious injuries. An additional 264 people received minor injuries and 489 had possible injuries. The majority of individuals involved were not physically injured.

Among individuals for whom safety equipment use was recorded, 543 were noted as using a shoulder and lap belt. A total of 78 individuals were recorded as having used no safety equipment at the time of the crash. Additionally, 16 individuals used a DOT-compliant helmet.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common scenario, accounting for 1,232 crashes. Single-vehicle crashes were the second most frequent type, with 736 incidents. Most other crashes involved three vehicles (99 incidents), though one incident involved as many as 12 vehicles.