338 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

All 3 fatalities and 89 injuries recorded in Poweshiek County involved motorists. There were no reported fatalities or injuries for pedestrians or cyclists in the 2015 crash data.

Crash occurrences in Poweshiek County peaked on Fridays, with 60 incidents recorded, closely followed by Thursdays with 59. The most frequent time for crashes was the 4 p.m. hour, which saw 27 events. While 171 crashes (50.6%) occurred during daylight hours, a notable 84 crashes (24.9%) happened after dark on unlit roadways.

The majority of crashes, 262 out of 338 (77.5%), resulted in no injuries. Collisions involving injuries of any severity accounted for 76 crashes, or 22.5% of the total. There were 3 fatal crashes recorded during this period, which resulted in a total of 3 fatalities.

The most frequently cited contributing factor in crashes was 'Animal,' which was involved in 60 incidents (17.8%). This was followed by drivers losing control (49 crashes, 14.5%) and running off a straight road (44 crashes, 13.0%). Driving too fast for conditions was also a notable factor, contributing to 25 crashes (7.4%).

A majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions, with 169 incidents (50.0%) happening in clear weather and 190 (56.2%) on dry road surfaces. Crashes during daylight hours accounted for 171 events (50.6%). Adverse weather conditions were noted in a smaller portion of incidents, including 33 crashes during snow and 13 during rain.

Analysis of persons involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was most represented, with 101 individuals, followed by the 55-64 age group with 88 individuals. Among the 496 vehicles involved, Chevrolet was the most frequent make with 83 vehicles, followed by Ford with 73 and Dodge with 46. Freightliner was the most common commercial truck make, appearing in 22 vehicle records.

The primary major cause identified in crashes was 'Animal,' cited in 60 incidents. This was followed by 'Lost Control' in 49 crashes and 'Ran off road - straight' in 44 crashes. 'Driving too fast for conditions' was listed as the major cause in 25 crashes.

The most common first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, occurring in 130 crashes (38.5%). The second most frequent event was a collision with an animal, accounting for 60 incidents (17.8%). Run-off-road events were also significant, including 32 collisions with cable barriers and 28 collisions with a ditch.

A significant majority of crashes, 189 out of 338 (55.9%), occurred at non-intersection locations. Crashes at intersections accounted for 70 incidents (20.7%), with four-way intersections being the most common type, the site of 55 crashes.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 223 of the 496 vehicles (45.0%). Light trucks and SUVs collectively made up 29.0% of vehicles (144 total). Tractor/semi-trailers were involved in 54 instances, representing 10.9% of all vehicles in crashes.

The vast majority of crashes, 310 out of 338, occurred where no traffic controls were present. In locations with traffic controls, 51 crashes occurred where stop signs were present and 44 occurred at traffic signals. This indicates that a large portion of incidents occurred on open stretches of road rather than at controlled intersections.

The most common area of vehicle damage was the front, which was the primary impact point for 112 vehicles. Including front-corner impacts, frontal damage was recorded on a total of 194 vehicles. Rear-end damage was noted as the most severe for 42 vehicles.

Within Poweshiek County, the city of Grinnell had the highest concentration of crashes, with 89 incidents reported. The towns of Brooklyn and Montezuma followed with 11 and 9 crashes, respectively. A significant number of crashes in the county occurred outside of any incorporated city limits.

The vast majority of crashes, 317, occurred on paved roads. A total of 20 crashes, representing 5.9% of the incidents where surface type was recorded, took place on unpaved surfaces such as gravel or dirt roads.

In cases where a roadway factor was identified as a contributor, 'Surface condition' such as wet or icy roads was the most common, cited in 56 crashes. Work zones were noted as a factor in 11 crashes. Other factors like slippery surfaces and traffic backups were each cited in 3 incidents.

Among incidents where a driver's condition was noted as a factor, being asleep or fatigued was the most frequent, contributing to 24 crashes. Driving under the influence of alcohol was cited in 5 crashes. Medical issues, including illness or seizures, were a factor in 4 crashes combined.

The estimated property damage for the majority of crashes (213 incidents, or 63.0%) fell within the $1,500 to $7,500 range. Crashes resulting in high-value damage of $25,000 or more accounted for 27 incidents, or 8.0% of the total. Only 5 crashes were estimated to have damage under $1,500.

The dominant manner of collision was single-vehicle, non-collision events, such as running off the road or overturning, which accounted for 178 crashes (52.7%). Among multi-vehicle crashes, rear-end collisions were the most common, with 46 incidents (13.6%), followed by same-direction sideswipes with 36 incidents (10.7%).

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles involved was 'Movement essentially straight,' recorded for 321 of the 496 vehicles (64.7%). Turning left was the action for 34 vehicles (6.9%), and changing lanes was the action for 18 vehicles (3.6%) prior to the crash.

The vast majority of individuals involved in crashes were drivers, accounting for 566 of the 589 people recorded (96.1%). Passengers comprised a much smaller group, with 23 individuals, or 3.9% of the total.

Of the 589 individuals involved in crashes, 92 people (15.6%) were either injured or killed. This includes 3 fatalities, 11 serious injuries, 34 minor injuries, and 44 possible injuries. The remaining individuals were primarily reported with no injuries.

For the small subset of individuals where safety equipment use was recorded, 60 were noted as using a shoulder and lap belt. In 6 of these recorded instances, no safety equipment was used. This data represents only a fraction of the 589 people involved in crashes.

Slightly more than half of the incidents, 188 crashes (55.6%), were single-vehicle events. Two-vehicle crashes were also common, accounting for 143 incidents (42.3%). Multi-vehicle pile-ups involving three or more vehicles were rare, with only 7 such crashes recorded.