3,062 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, motorists accounted for the largest number of casualties, with 19 individuals killed and 1,181 injured in crashes. Vulnerable road users also faced significant danger, with 6 pedestrians killed and another 22 injured. There were no cyclist fatalities or injuries reported in the dataset for this period.

Crash patterns in Allen County show distinct temporal trends, with Fridays being the most frequent day for crashes (504 incidents). The afternoon commute period from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. was the peak hour, with 264 crashes. A majority of collisions, 1,922 out of 3,062, occurred during daylight hours.

The majority of crashes in Allen County, 73.2% (2,240 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Crashes involving an injury of any severity accounted for 26.1% of the total. There were 23 distinct fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 25 fatalities, indicating that some crashes involved more than one death.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 23 fatal crash events resulted in 25 persons killed.

The vast majority of crashes in Allen County occurred in what would be considered ideal driving conditions. Approximately 76.7% of crashes (2,350) happened on dry roads, 63.5% (1,943) in clear weather, and 62.8% (1,922) during daylight hours. Crashes in adverse weather included 286 in rain and 102 in snow.

Analysis of the 6,765 persons involved in crashes shows that the 16-20 age group was the most represented, with 1,023 individuals, followed by the 26-34 age group with 974 individuals. Among the 5,255 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Ford (963 vehicles), Chevrolet (845 vehicles), and Dodge (411 vehicles).

The majority of crashes, 2,553 incidents, had their first harmful event occur on the main roadway. However, a notable number were run-off-road events, with a combined 361 incidents (11.8% of total) occurring on the roadside, shoulder, or in the median. These crashes often indicate a loss of vehicle control.

Analysis of traffic controls related to the 5,255 vehicles in crashes shows a majority, 3,400 units, were at locations with no traffic control device present. Signalized intersections were associated with 1,245 vehicles involved in crashes, while locations with stop signs were associated with 477 vehicles.

The most common contributing factor cited for drivers was 'Following too Close / ACDA,' attributed in 579 instances. This was followed by 'Failure to Yield' with 514 instances and 'Drove off Road' with 290 instances. Other significant factors included 'Unsafe Speed' (125 instances) and 'Improper Backing' (121 instances).

Crashes involving commercial trucks accounted for 246 incidents, or approximately 8.0% of all crashes in Allen County. Of these, 191 crashes involved a semi-tractor trailer, while the remaining 55 involved other types of commercial vehicles.

In 2021, there were 86 crashes involving vulnerable road users or motorcyclists. This total includes 46 crashes with motorcyclists, 27 with pedestrians, and 13 with bicyclists. Combined, crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists, the most vulnerable road users, totaled 40 incidents.

Collisions with animals were a significant factor, accounting for 404 crashes, or 13.2% of the total in Allen County. The vast majority of these incidents, 382 crashes, involved collisions with deer. An additional 22 crashes were attributed to collisions with other types of animals.

Impairment was a documented factor in 153 crashes, representing 5% of all incidents in the county. Among these, alcohol was suspected in 98 cases, drugs were suspected in 33 cases, and a combination of both was suspected in 22 cases. These figures represent a baseline, as impairment can be under-reported in crash data.

Beyond 'Apparently Normal,' several specific driver conditions were noted at the time of crashes. A total of 123 drivers were identified as being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol. Additionally, 39 drivers were reported as having fallen asleep or being fatigued, and 37 were noted as emotional (e.g., depressed, angry, disturbed).

While most drivers were not reported as distracted, specific distractions were identified for 259 drivers. The most common issues were 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' (100 drivers) and 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (72 drivers). Use of electronic devices was also a factor, with 43 drivers manually operating a device and 24 engaged in another electronic device activity.

While most crashes occurred on straight, level roads, roadway geometry played a role in a portion of incidents. Crashes on curves accounted for 211 incidents (6.9% of the total). Roadways with a grade were the site of 226 crashes, representing 7.4% of all crashes.

The geographic distribution of crashes within Allen County is concentrated in a few key areas. The City of Lima saw the highest number of crashes with 1,173, representing 38.3% of the county's total. The townships of American (398 crashes), Bath (347 crashes), and Shawnee (304 crashes) followed as the next most frequent locations for incidents.

Analysis of vehicle actions prior to collision shows that the majority of vehicles (2,992, or 57.0%) were proceeding straight ahead. The next most common pre-crash action was 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic,' which applied to 705 vehicles. 'Making Left Turn' was the third most frequent action, recorded for 427 vehicles involved in crashes.

The most common type of crash was a single-vehicle incident, categorized as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which accounted for 1,277 crashes or 41.7% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were the most frequent type with 693 incidents (22.6%), followed by rear-end collisions with 573 incidents (18.7%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 2,660 of the 5,255 total vehicles (50.6%). Sport Utility Vehicles (1,099 vehicles) and Pick-up trucks (683 vehicles) were the next most frequent. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors and other trucks, were involved in 313 crashes.

Of the 6,765 individuals involved in crashes, the majority (4,917, or 72.7%) were drivers. Passengers, referred to as 'occupants' in the data, constituted the second-largest group with 1,819 individuals (26.9%). A smaller but critical group involved were pedestrians, with 29 individuals recorded in crash reports.

Examining the outcomes for all 6,765 people involved in crashes, the majority (5,451 individuals, or 80.6%) sustained no apparent injury. A total of 1,203 people, or 17.8%, suffered some level of injury, ranging from possible to serious. The crashes resulted in 25 fatalities, which is approximately 0.4% of all individuals involved.

Safety equipment usage was documented for most vehicle occupants. While 5,539 individuals were reported as using a shoulder and lap belt, a notable 318 individuals were recorded as using no safety restraints at all. Use of a child restraint system or booster seat was reported for 237 occupants.

The most common crash scenario involved two vehicles, accounting for 1,915 incidents (62.5% of the total). Single-vehicle crashes were also frequent, with 1,017 incidents, making up 33.2% of all crashes. Multi-vehicle crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, with 112 incidents involving three vehicles and 18 incidents involving four.