Monthly Traffic Safety Analysis

60 CRASHES IN
WELLESLEY, MA
JANUARY 2025

All metrics benchmarked againstJanuary 2024

Wellesley experienced a slight decrease in overall crash incidents in January 2025 compared to January 2024, with total crashes falling from 62 to 60, a 3.23% reduction. A more significant improvement was observed in injury outcomes, as total injuries decreased by 52.63%, from 19 to 9. There were no fatalities reported in either period.

60

-3.2%was 62

Total Crash Events

0

Persons Killed

9

-52.6%was 19

Persons Injured

3

Hit-and-Run Crashes

Note: "Persons Killed" (0) counts individual fatalities across all crash events. "Fatal" in the severity table below (0) counts crash events where at least one fatality occurred. A single crash can result in multiple fatalities. 1 crash with unreported severity is not shown in the severity breakdown.

Source: Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV) · Arcgis_yearly Open Data · 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · Aggregate counts from crash, person, and vehicle records

Trend Summary

Overall, crash activity in Wellesley decreased year-over-year for January, with total crashes falling by 3.23% from 62 in January 2024 to 60 in January 2025. Total injuries saw a more substantial decline of 52.63%, decreasing from 19 to 9. Fatalities remained at 0 in both periods, indicating a stable trend for the most severe outcomes.

3

Hit-and-Run Crashes — January 2025

0.0% vs prior (3)

The number of hit-and-run crashes remained constant at 3 in both January 2024 and January 2025. However, due to a slight decrease in overall crashes, the hit-and-run crash rate increased marginally from 4.8% in the prior period to 5% in the current period.

Vulnerable Road User Casualties

0

Pedestrians Killed

Prior: 00.0%

0

Motorists Killed

Prior: 00.0%

1

Pedestrians Injured

Prior: 10.0%

8

Motorists Injured

Prior: 18-55.6%

Source: Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV) · Arcgis_yearly Open Data · 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · Mode classified from person records (driver/passenger → motorist; pedestrian; bicyclist → cyclist; in-line skater / unspecified → other)

When Crashes Happen

The peak day for crashes shifted from Tuesday in January 2024, which recorded 16 crashes, to Monday and Thursday in January 2025, each with 12 crashes. The peak crash hour also shifted from 5 PM with 7 crashes in January 2024 to 3 PM with 9 crashes in January 2025. This suggests a change in the busiest times for crash occurrences.

Source: Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV) · Arcgis_yearly Open Data · 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · Crash date field aggregated by weekday

Source: Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV) · Arcgis_yearly Open Data · 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · Crash time field aggregated by hour (0-23)

Crash Severity Breakdown

There were no fatal crashes in either January 2024 or January 2025. Total injuries decreased significantly from 19 in January 2024 to 9 in January 2025, representing a 52.63% reduction. The proportion of crashes resulting in minor injuries (Severity B) also decreased from 14.5% in the prior period to 8.3% in the current period.

Outcome by Severity (Crash Events)

Minor Injury5minor injury crashes8.3%
-44.4%prior 9
Possible Injury3possible injury crashes5%
50.0%prior 2
No Injury51no injury crashes85%
4.1%prior 49

Source: Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV) · Arcgis_yearly Open Data · 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · KABCO injury classification scale

Severity Distribution (Crash Events)

Source: Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV) · Arcgis_yearly Open Data · 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · Most severe injury per crash record

Top Contributing Factors

"Followed too closely" became the leading contributing factor in January 2025 with 14 crashes, an increase from 11 crashes in January 2024. "Inattention" crashes increased by 66.7%, from 6 in January 2024 to 10 in January 2025, moving it to the third most common factor. Conversely, "Driving too fast for conditions" decreased significantly by 60%, from 5 crashes in January 2024 to 2 crashes in January 2025.

Officer-Reported Primary Contributing Cause

Followed too closely14 (23.3%)27.3%prior 11
No improper driving13 (21.7%)8.3%prior 12
Inattention10 (16.7%)66.7%prior 6
Failed to yield right of way6 (10%)-14.3%prior 7
Swerving or avoiding due to wind, slippery surface, vehicle, object, vulnerable user in roadway5 (8.3%)
Operating vehicle in erratic, reckless, careless, negligent or aggressive manner5 (8.3%)
Driving too fast for conditions2 (3.3%)-60.0%prior 5
Distracted1 (1.7%)
Failure to keep in proper lane or running off road1 (1.7%)
Illness1 (1.7%)

Source: Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV) · Arcgis_yearly Open Data · 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · Officer-reported primary contributory cause per crash

Road & Environmental Conditions

The number of crashes occurring in clear weather conditions increased from 29 in January 2024 to 37 in January 2025. Crashes on snowy road surfaces decreased from 12 in January 2024 to 7 in January 2025, while crashes on dry roads increased from 35 to 40. Crashes occurring in "Dark - lighted roadway" conditions decreased from 21 in January 2024 to 14 in January 2025.

Weather

Clear37 (61.7%)
27.6%prior 29
Cloudy8 (13.3%)
-27.3%prior 11
Rain4 (6.7%)
Snow3 (5.0%)
-66.7%prior 9
Snow/Cloudy2 (3.3%)
Snow/Blowing sand, snow1 (1.7%)
Snow/Sleet, hail (freezing rain or drizzle)1 (1.7%)
Clear/Clear1 (1.7%)
Clear/Unknown1 (1.7%)
Cloudy/Snow1 (1.7%)

Source: Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV) · Arcgis_yearly Open Data · 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · Weather condition at time of crash

Lighting

Daylight40 (66.7%)
8.1%prior 37
Dark - lighted roadway14 (23.3%)
-33.3%prior 21
Dark - roadway not lighted2 (3.3%)
Dawn2 (3.3%)
Dark - unknown roadway lighting1 (1.7%)
Dusk1 (1.7%)

Source: Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV) · Arcgis_yearly Open Data · 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · Lighting condition field

Road Surface

Dry40 (66.7%)
14.3%prior 35
Wet8 (13.3%)
0.0%prior 8
Snow7 (11.7%)
-41.7%prior 12
Ice5 (8.3%)
-28.6%prior 7

Source: Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV) · Arcgis_yearly Open Data · 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · Road surface condition field

Vehicles & Demographics

The total number of vehicles involved in crashes increased from 111 in January 2024 to 116 in January 2025. Toyota remained the most frequently involved vehicle make, increasing from 22 to 24 vehicles, while Honda and Ford also saw slight increases in involvement. There was a notable decrease in persons aged 16-20 involved in crashes, from 14 in January 2024 to 5 in January 2025.

Top Vehicle Makes (116 vehicles)

1
TOYOTA24 (20.7%)
9.1%prior 22
2
HONDA14 (12.1%)
27.3%prior 11
3
FORD12 (10.3%)
9.1%prior 11
4
JEEP7 (6%)
40.0%prior 5
5
NISSAN6 (5.2%)
6
VOLKSWAGEN5 (4.3%)
7
MERCEDES-BENZ4 (3.4%)
8
SUBARU4 (3.4%)
9
GMC3 (2.6%)
10
LEXUS3 (2.6%)

Source: Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV) · Arcgis_yearly Open Data · 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · Vehicle unit records

11 persons with unknown or unrecorded age excluded from age chart.

Sex Distribution (113 persons with recorded sex)

Male57 (50.4%)
-18.6%prior 70
Female56 (49.6%)
0.0%prior 56

Source: Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV) · Arcgis_yearly Open Data · 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · Person-level records linked to crash events

Speed Limit Zones

Crashes in 30 mph zones increased from 27 in January 2024 to 34 in January 2025. Conversely, crashes in 50 mph zones decreased from 23 in January 2024 to 14 in January 2025. There were no fatal crashes reported in any speed zone during either period.

Source: Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV) · Arcgis_yearly Open Data · 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31 · Posted speed limit at crash location

Data Sources & Methodology

Primary Data Source

All crash data in this report is sourced from Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV), accessed programmatically via the Arcgis_yearly Open Data API (SODA). This dataset contains official police-reported motor vehicle traffic crash records maintained by the reporting jurisdiction's law enforcement agency. Records are published to the open data portal by the municipality and are subject to the portal's terms of use.

Data Retrieval

  • Access method: Arcgis_yearly Open Data API (SoQL queries)
  • Data format: Structured JSON via REST API
  • Record types queried: Crash events, person records, and vehicle unit records
  • Date filter applied: 2025-01-01 through 2025-01-31
  • Report generated: June 21, 2026

Data Coverage

  • Reporting period: 2025-01-01 through 2025-01-31 (31 days)
  • Geographic scope: WELLESLEY, MA
  • Total crash records analyzed: 60
  • Total persons involved: 128
  • Total vehicles involved: 116

Analytical Methodology

  • Severity classification: Uses the KABCO injury scale (K=Fatal, A=Incapacitating injury, B=Non-incapacitating injury, C=Possible injury, O=No injury/property damage only), the standard classification in U.S. Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC). Severity is assigned per crash event based on the most severe injury in that crash. A single fatal crash (K) may involve multiple fatalities; therefore the "Persons Killed" count in the headline KPIs may differ from the "Fatal" crash count in the severity breakdown.
  • Contributing factors: Reflect the officer-determined primary contributory cause recorded at the time of the crash report. These are preliminary determinations and may not reflect final investigation findings.
  • Hit-and-run classification: Based on the hit-and-run indicator field in the official crash report, as determined by the responding officer at the scene.
  • Temporal analysis: Day-of-week and hour-of-day distributions are computed from the crash date/time timestamp in each record.
  • Demographics: Age and sex distributions are drawn from person-level records linked to each crash event. A single crash may involve multiple persons.
  • Vehicle data: Make information is drawn from vehicle unit records linked to each crash event.
  • AI commentary: Narrative sections are generated by Google Gemini (large language model) based on the structured data. Commentary is descriptive, not predictive, and should not be interpreted as expert opinion.

Limitations & Disclaimers

  • Only crashes reported to and documented by law enforcement are included. Minor incidents, unreported crashes, and near-misses are not captured in this dataset.
  • Data reflects conditions at the time of the initial police report and may be subject to subsequent corrections, reclassifications, or supplements by the reporting agency.
  • Open data portal records may experience a publication lag - recently occurring crashes may not yet appear in the dataset at the time of report generation.
  • AI-generated commentary is produced by a large language model and is intended to highlight patterns in the data. It does not constitute legal, medical, or professional analysis.
  • Percentages are calculated from reported data and are subject to rounding.

Non-Affiliation Disclosure

This report is produced independently by ThatCarHitMe.com (Injuria.ai). It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in partnership with any law enforcement agency, municipal government, state department of transportation, or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Data is sourced from publicly available government open data portals.

Data License

The underlying crash data is provided under the municipality's Open Data Terms of Use and is made available to the public for unrestricted use. This analysis and report is © 2026 Injuria.ai and may be cited with attribution using the suggested citation below.

Corrections & Feedback

If you believe any data in this report is inaccurate or have questions about our methodology, please contact: data@injuria.ai. We are committed to accuracy and will issue corrections promptly.

Suggested Citation

ThatCarHitMe.com (Injuria.ai). "WELLESLEY, MA Crash Intelligence Report: January 2025." Published June 21, 2026. Reporting period: 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-31. Data source: Massachusetts Crash Data (MassDOT CDV), Arcgis_yearly Open Data. Available at: https://thatcarhitme.com/crash-data/massachusetts/wellesley/january-2025-report

About the Publisher

ThatCarHitMe.com is a crash data intelligence platform developed by Injuria.ai, a legal technology company specializing in traffic safety analytics. We aggregate and analyze publicly available government crash data to produce structured intelligence reports for communities, researchers, journalists, and legal professionals. Our reports combine programmatic data retrieval from official open data portals with AI-assisted narrative analysis.

Questions about this report's data or methodology: data@injuria.ai

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Wellesley, MA Crash Report — January 2025 | ThatCarHitMe.com