97 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

All traffic fatalities and injuries in this period involved motor vehicle occupants. A total of 2 motorists were killed and 33 were injured. According to the data, there were no fatalities or injuries involving pedestrians or cyclists.

Crashes in Worth County peaked on Sundays, with 20 incidents recorded on that day of the week. The data shows bimodal peaks during the day, with 7 crashes occurring in the 5 a.m. hour and another 7 in the 10 a.m. hour. Collision occurrences were almost evenly split between daylight hours (44 crashes) and dark or low-light conditions (38 crashes).

The vast majority of crashes, 70 out of 97 (72.2%), resulted in no injuries and were classified as property-damage-only. The remaining 27 crashes involved some level of injury, including 4 with serious injuries and 2 fatal crashes. In this period, the 2 fatal crashes resulted in a total of 2 fatalities.

The most dominant contributing factor for crashes was animal involvement, cited in 29 incidents, or 29.9% of the total. Following this, losing control of the vehicle was a factor in 11 crashes (11.3%). Driving too fast for conditions and running off a straight road were each responsible for 8 crashes (8.2%).

A significant portion of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions, with 49 of 97 incidents (50.5%) on dry roads and 40 (41.2%) in clear weather. Forty-four crashes (45.4%) took place during daylight hours. Nevertheless, adverse conditions were also a factor, with 26 crashes occurring during snow or rain and 32 happening on roads that were not dry.

The 45-54 age group was the most represented demographic among persons involved in crashes, accounting for 36 of the 174 individuals. An analysis of vehicles involved shows that Chevrolet (including abbreviated 'CHEV' entries) was the most frequent make with 38 vehicles, followed by Ford with 22 vehicles.

The leading major cause identified for crashes was an animal, which was cited in 29 incidents (29.9%). The second most common cause was a driver losing control, contributing to 11 crashes (11.3%). Driving too fast for conditions and running off a straight road were tied for the third-leading cause, each accounting for 8 crashes.

The most frequent initial event in a crash sequence was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, which occurred in 33 of the 97 crashes. This was followed closely by collision with an animal, the first harmful event in 29 crashes. A non-collision event, specifically an overturn or rollover, was the primary event in 9 incidents.

The majority of collisions, 57 out of 97 (58.8%), occurred on non-intersection segments of the roadway. Crashes at intersections were less common, with 7 occurring at four-way intersections and 3 at T-intersections. Another 4 crashes were related to driveway access points.

Passenger cars were the most prevalent vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 58 of the 139 vehicles. Sport utility vehicles (25) and four-tire light trucks or pickups (21) were the next most common. Ten tractor/semi-trailers and 3 motorcycles were also involved in collisions during this period.

Data shows that the majority of vehicles involved in crashes were in areas without traffic controls. Of the 139 vehicles in collisions, 101 were in locations where no controls were present. For vehicles where a control was noted, stop signs were the most common, applying to 12 vehicles.

Frontal impacts were the most common type of damage sustained by vehicles. A total of 49 vehicles had their most significant damage to the front or a front corner. In contrast, damage to the rear or a rear corner, often associated with rear-end collisions, was noted as the primary impact area for 16 vehicles.

Within Worth County, the city of Northwood had the highest number of crashes, with 18 incidents reported. Following Northwood, Manly recorded 6 crashes, Fertile had 5, and both Grafton and Hanlontown reported 4 crashes each. A significant number of crashes occurred in unincorporated areas and are not reflected in this city-specific breakdown.

The overwhelming majority of crashes, 93 out of 97, took place on paved road surfaces. Crashes on unpaved roads, such as gravel or dirt, were infrequent, accounting for only 4 incidents (4.1%) in this period.

In the minority of crashes where a roadway factor was deemed a contributor, adverse surface conditions like wet or icy roads were the primary issue, cited in 17 incidents. Other factors such as debris on the roadway, a slippery surface, or a traffic backup from a prior crash were each noted in 2 crashes.

The most common range for officer-estimated property damage was between $1,500 and $7,500, a category that included 60 of the 97 crashes. A smaller number of crashes, 34, resulted in damages estimated between $7,500 and $25,000. Only 2 crashes were reported to have damage costs exceeding $25,000.

Nearly half of all incidents, 47 of 97 (48.5%), were single-vehicle crashes, primarily classified as non-collision events like running off the road. Among crashes involving more than one vehicle, the most frequent type was a sideswipe between vehicles traveling in the same direction, which occurred 13 times. This was followed by broadside collisions, which accounted for 11 crashes.

The data on vehicle actions prior to a collision shows that 95 of the 139 vehicles involved were simply moving straight ahead. Actions such as turning, changing lanes, or overtaking were significantly less common, with each of these maneuvers being the pre-crash action for only 4 vehicles respectively.

Of the 174 individuals involved in traffic crashes, the vast majority, 166 people (95.4%), were drivers. The remaining 8 individuals were passengers in the vehicles. No pedestrians, cyclists, or other non-occupant types were involved in any reported crashes.

Out of 174 people involved in crashes, 35 sustained some level of injury or were killed. This total includes 2 fatalities, 5 serious injuries, and a combined 28 individuals with minor or possible injuries. The remaining 139 people were not injured.

Among the 27 vehicle occupants for whom safety equipment usage was recorded, 21 were reported as using both a shoulder and lap belt. Notably, 4 individuals in this small subset were documented as using no safety restraint at all at the time of the crash.

Single-vehicle crashes were the predominant incident type, accounting for 57 of the 97 total crashes (58.8%). Collisions involving two vehicles were also common, with 38 such incidents (39.2%). Multi-vehicle pileups were rare, with only 2 crashes involving three vehicles.