229 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
AUGUST 2021

A total of four fatalities and 112 injuries were recorded in August 2021. Motorists accounted for the majority of these outcomes, with 3 individuals killed and all 112 injuries sustained by this group. One pedestrian fatality was also reported, while no injuries were recorded for pedestrians or cyclists.

Crash frequency peaked on Mondays, which saw a total of 45 incidents. The single busiest hour for crashes was from 2:00 PM to 2:59 PM, with 26 events recorded. Overall, crashes were concentrated in the afternoon, with a significant number occurring between 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM, and the vast majority of incidents (181 of 229) happened during daylight hours.

Of the 229 total crashes, 150 incidents, or 65.5%, resulted in no injuries. The remaining 34.5% of crashes involved at least one possible injury, minor injury, serious injury, or fatality. There were 4 fatal crashes recorded during this period, which resulted in 4 total fatalities.

The majority of crashes occurred in favorable environmental conditions. Data shows that 79% of crashes happened in daylight, 76% in clear weather, and 85.6% on dry road surfaces. Conversely, 18 crashes occurred during rain, 32 on wet roads, and 46 in dark or dawn/dusk lighting conditions.

Among the 529 people involved in crashes, the 45-54 age group was the most represented, with 73 individuals. An analysis of the 408 vehicles involved shows that Ford was the most frequent make with 68 vehicles, followed by Chevrolet with 57 and Honda with 35.

The initial point of impact for most crashes was on the primary travel lanes, with 192 incidents (83.8%) occurring 'On Roadway'. A total of 25 crashes, or 10.9%, were classified as run-off-road events, with the first harmful event occurring on the roadside (15), shoulder (7), or in the median (3).

Analysis of traffic controls at crash locations indicates that 241 of the 408 vehicles involved were in areas with 'No Control'. Another 112 vehicles were involved in crashes at locations controlled by a traffic signal, and 45 were at locations with a stop sign.

The most frequently cited contributing factor for drivers involved in crashes was 'Failure to Yield,' documented in 48 instances. This was followed by 'Following too Close / ACDA' with 38 instances and 'Drove off Road' with 24 instances. 'Ran Red Light' was also a notable factor, cited in 17 cases.

Crashes involving commercial trucks accounted for 24 of the 229 total incidents, or 10.5%. Of these, 19 involved a semi-tractor trailer, while the remaining 5 involved other types of commercial vehicles.

A total of 11 crashes involved vulnerable road users or motorcyclists. Motorcyclists were involved in 8 incidents, while bicyclists were involved in 2 and pedestrians in 1. Combined, crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists accounted for 3 of the 229 total incidents.

There were 16 crashes involving animals, representing 7% of all incidents in the county. Deer were the most common animal involved, accounting for 13 of these 16 collisions. The remaining 3 incidents involved other, unspecified animals.

Among the 388 drivers involved in crashes, 18 were noted as having a condition other than 'Apparently Normal.' Six drivers were reportedly under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol, and another 6 were documented as emotional. Additionally, 3 drivers were reported to have fallen asleep or been fatigued.

For the 388 drivers involved, a specific distraction was identified in 22 cases. The most common documented distractions included other activities inside the vehicle (6 drivers), manually operating an electronic device (5 drivers), and distractions outside the vehicle (5 drivers).

The vast majority of crashes, 210 out of 229, occurred on straight and level road segments. Fourteen crashes occurred on roads with a grade, and 8 crashes took place on a curve. This indicates that 3.5% of crashes were on curves and 6.1% were on grades.

The geographic distribution of crashes within Allen County was concentrated in a few key areas. The City of Lima accounted for the largest share with 86 crashes (37.6% of the total). The townships of American and Bath followed, with 29 and 28 crashes, respectively.

Analysis of the 408 vehicles involved shows that the most common action prior to a crash was driving 'Straight Ahead,' documented for 229 vehicles. The next most frequent pre-crash actions were 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic' (56 vehicles) and 'Making Left Turn' (48 vehicles).

The most common crash type was 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which includes single-vehicle crashes, accounting for 81 incidents or 35.4% of the total. Angle collisions were the second-most frequent type, with 65 incidents representing 28.4% of all crashes.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 204 of the 408 total vehicles (50.0%). Sport Utility Vehicles were the second-most common, with 81 involved (19.9%), followed by pickup trucks at 48 (11.8%).

Of the 529 individuals involved in crashes, the majority were drivers, accounting for 388 people or 73.3% of the total. Vehicle occupants made up the next largest group with 140 individuals (26.5%), and one person was a pedestrian.

Among the 529 people involved in crashes, 405 (76.6%) sustained no injuries. A total of 116 individuals were either injured or killed, including 4 fatalities, 4 serious injuries, 47 minor injuries, and 61 possible injuries.

Safety equipment usage was documented for most of the 529 people involved in crashes, with 425 individuals reported as using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 28 individuals, or 5.3% of the total, were documented as using no safety equipment at the time of the crash.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most frequent type of incident, with 151 crashes (65.9%) involving two vehicles. Single-vehicle crashes were the next most common, accounting for 66 incidents or 28.8% of the total. Multi-vehicle crashes involving three or more vehicles were less frequent, with 12 such incidents recorded.