3,679 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
MARCH 2015

During this period, motorists comprised the vast majority of those killed or injured, with 18 fatalities and 1,248 injuries. One pedestrian was killed and 28 were injured in collisions. While no cyclists were killed, 22 sustained injuries.

Crash frequency peaked on Tuesday, which saw 714 incidents, while weekends were calmer. The single busiest hour for crashes was the 3 p.m. hour with 308 events, though significant peaks also occurred during the morning and evening commutes at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. A majority of crashes, 2,407 or 65.4%, occurred during daylight hours.

The vast majority of crashes, 71.1% (2,617 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Crashes involving injuries accounted for 28.4% of the total, broken down into 84 serious injury, 308 minor injury, and 651 possible injury incidents. A total of 19 fatal crashes occurred, which resulted in 19 fatalities, indicating one death per fatal crash during this period.

The most common contributing factor cited in crashes was the presence of an animal on the roadway, noted in 431 incidents (11.7%). Following this, driver behaviors such as following too closely (376 crashes) and losing control of the vehicle (266 crashes) were the next most frequent causes. Failure to yield the right-of-way from a stop sign was also a significant factor, contributing to 214 crashes.

A substantial majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions. Specifically, 66.6% of crashes (2,451) happened in clear weather, 75.9% (2,792) on dry road surfaces, and 65.4% (2,407) in daylight. Adverse conditions were less common, with 197 crashes occurring on icy or frosty roads and 159 during freezing rain or drizzle.

Among all individuals involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented with 1,275 people, followed closely by the 16-20 age group with 1,101 people. Analysis of the 6,366 vehicles involved shows that Chevrolet (1,297 vehicles) and Ford (1,032 vehicles) were the most frequent makes recorded in these incidents. Dodge (461 vehicles) and Toyota (446 vehicles) were the next most common.

The leading major cause attributed to crashes was the presence of an animal, accounting for 431 incidents. This was followed by driver actions, including following too closely (376 crashes), losing control (266 crashes), and failing to yield right-of-way from a stop sign (214 crashes). Running a traffic signal was cited as the major cause in 144 crashes.

The most common first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, which occurred in 2,127 crashes, representing 57.8% of all incidents. Collisions with animals were the second most frequent event, recorded in 416 crashes (11.3%). Other notable events included running into a ditch (201 crashes) and striking a parked motor vehicle (194 crashes).

Crashes were more likely to occur on non-junction road segments than at intersections. Approximately 54.2% of crashes (1,995 incidents) happened at non-intersection locations, including mid-block and driveway-related areas. Four-way intersections were the most common type of junction for crashes, accounting for 942 incidents.

Passenger cars were the most prevalent vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 3,219 of the 6,366 vehicles. Sport utility vehicles (1,298 vehicles) and four-tire light trucks or pickups (915 vehicles) were the next most common. Tractor-trailers were involved in 148 incidents, while motorcycles were involved in 46.

Analysis of the 6,366 vehicles in crashes shows that a majority (3,744 vehicles) were at locations where no traffic controls were present. For crashes at controlled locations, traffic signals were the most common device, present for 1,377 vehicles. Stop signs were the next most frequent control, noted for 627 vehicles.

The front of the vehicle was the most frequently damaged area, recorded for 1,604 vehicles, suggesting a high prevalence of front-to-rear and front-to-object collisions. The rear of the vehicle was the second most common point of impact, with 797 vehicles damaged. Damage to the front-passenger and front-driver side corners was also common, with 530 and 529 instances respectively.

A total of 151 crashes involved a driver suspected of impairment, representing 4.1% of all crashes. Of these, alcohol was the sole factor in 134 cases, while drugs were a factor in 8 cases and a combination of alcohol and drugs was suspected in 9 cases. These figures should be considered a minimum, as impairment is often under-reported.

Crash distribution was concentrated in the state's most populous counties. Polk County recorded the highest number of incidents with 645 crashes, followed by Scott County with 280 and Linn County with 216. Together, the top three counties accounted for over 30% of all crashes statewide during this period.

The highest concentrations of crashes were found in Iowa's major urban centers. Des Moines led with 372 crashes, followed by Davenport with 207, Cedar Rapids with 138, and Sioux City with 137. These figures highlight the crash volumes within municipal limits, though a significant number of incidents occur in unincorporated rural areas.

The vast majority of crashes, 3,535 incidents, occurred on paved roadways. A smaller but notable number of crashes, 130, were recorded on unpaved surfaces such as gravel or dirt roads. This represents 3.5% of crashes where the surface type was specified.

In a minority of crashes, a roadway factor was cited as a contributor. The most common was the surface condition, such as being wet or icy, which was noted in 258 incidents. Other factors included work zones (14 crashes), slippery or worn surfaces (12 crashes), and debris on the roadway (12 crashes).

Among drivers where a condition other than 'apparently normal' was recorded, being under the influence of alcohol was the most frequent, noted for 164 individuals. The second most common condition was being asleep or fatigued, which was documented for 71 drivers. Other recorded conditions included being emotional (43 drivers) and having a medical issue (31 drivers).

The distribution of crashes across Iowa's six DOT districts shows the highest volumes in the areas containing the state's largest cities. District 1, which includes the Des Moines metro, had the most crashes with 1,030. District 6, covering eastern Iowa including Cedar Rapids and Davenport, followed with 992 crashes.

The most common estimated property damage cost was in the $1,500 to $7,500 range, which applied to 2,646 crashes. A smaller number of incidents resulted in very high costs, with 76 crashes (2.1% of the total) causing damage estimated at over $25,000. Only 102 crashes were estimated to have damage under $1,500.

The most frequent type of crash was a non-collision event involving a single vehicle, such as running off the road or overturning, which accounted for 963 incidents (26.2%). This was closely followed by rear-end collisions, which occurred 890 times (24.2%). Broadside collisions were the third most common manner, with 645 incidents.

Among the 6,366 vehicles involved in crashes, the most common pre-crash action was moving essentially straight, reported for 3,537 vehicles (55.6%). Turning left was the next most frequent maneuver, recorded for 600 vehicles. Notably, 369 vehicles were legally parked when they were struck.

For the 51 non-motorists involved in crashes where their action was recorded, the most common behavior was entering or crossing the roadway, which was documented for 30 individuals. The next most frequent action was moving along the roadway with traffic, reported for 8 individuals.

Of the 7,768 total people involved in crashes, the overwhelming majority were drivers, accounting for 7,406 individuals. The remaining persons included 309 passengers, 29 pedestrians, and 22 bicyclists. These figures highlight that most incidents involved vehicle occupants.

Across all 7,768 people involved, 19 suffered fatal injuries. A total of 1,300 individuals sustained non-fatal injuries, which included 107 serious injuries, 400 minor injuries, and 793 possible injuries. The data also recorded 83 individuals who were involved in crashes but sustained no injuries.

Among the 1,037 vehicle occupants with known safety equipment usage, the vast majority (882) were using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 111 individuals, or 10.7% of this group, were recorded as using no safety equipment at all. Child safety seats were used by 14 children in this dataset.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common scenario, accounting for 2,248 crashes. Single-vehicle crashes were the next most frequent type, with 1,232 incidents, representing 33.5% of the total. Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, though one incident involved seven vehicles.