215 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
JULY 2021

During this period, a total of 84 individuals were injured in motor vehicle crashes, and there were no fatalities. Motorists comprised the vast majority of those injured, with 83 reported injuries. One pedestrian sustained an injury, while no bicyclists were reported as injured or killed.

Crash activity peaked on Tuesday, which saw 41 incidents, followed by Friday with 37. The most frequent time for crashes was the 3 p.m. hour, with 20 recorded incidents. Overall, the afternoon period from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. accounted for 91 crashes, representing 42.3% of the total for the month.

Of the 215 crashes, 155 (72.1%) resulted in no injuries, being classified as property-damage-only incidents. The remaining 60 crashes involved injuries of varying severity, including 5 with serious injuries, 37 with minor injuries, and 18 with possible injuries. There were no fatal crashes recorded during this period.

The vast majority of crashes occurred in favorable conditions, with 86% on dry roads and 72.1% in clear weather. Daylight conditions were present for 148 of the 215 crashes (68.8%). Crashes in adverse conditions included 19 incidents during rain and 45 incidents during dark or dawn/dusk lighting conditions.

Analysis of the 498 individuals involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 69 people. The most common vehicle makes involved were Chevrolet (57 vehicles), Ford (54 vehicles), and Honda (28 vehicles). These top three makes accounted for over one-third of the 383 vehicles involved in collisions.

The first harmful event for most crashes, 181 out of 215 (84.2%), occurred on the primary roadway. A notable portion of incidents were run-off-road events, with 26 crashes (12.1%) having their first harmful event on the roadside, shoulder, or in the median. An additional 6 crashes occurred outside the designated trafficway.

Data on 382 vehicles involved in crashes shows that the majority of incidents occurred at locations without traffic controls, accounting for 251 vehicles. Crashes at intersections with traffic signals involved 81 vehicles. Locations with stop signs were the site of crashes for 34 vehicles.

Among driver actions cited as contributing factors, 'Following too Close / ACDA' was the most common, attributed to 45 drivers. 'Failure to Yield' was the second-most frequent factor, noted for 38 drivers. 'Drove off Road' was a factor for 21 drivers involved in crashes.

Crashes involving commercial trucks accounted for 26 of the 215 total incidents (12.1%). Of these, 22 crashes involved a semi-tractor trailer, while the remaining 4 involved other types of commercial vehicles. These incidents represent a significant category due to the size and weight of the vehicles involved.

There were 17 crashes involving collisions with animals, representing 7.9% of all incidents. The majority of these, 15 crashes, were strikes involving deer. An additional 2 crashes involved other, unspecified types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 13 crashes, or 6% of the total for the month. Of these, alcohol was suspected in 8 incidents, drugs in 3 incidents, and a combination of alcohol and drugs in 2 incidents. These figures are based on the officer's assessment at the scene.

Among 351 drivers involved in crashes, 16 were noted to have a driver condition other than 'Apparently Normal'. Nine drivers were reported as being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol. An additional 5 drivers were reported as having fallen asleep, fainted, or being fatigued.

Among 351 drivers, 17 were identified as being distracted by a specific factor. The most cited distraction was related to something outside the vehicle, noted for 8 drivers. Three drivers were manually operating an electronic communication device, and another 3 were distracted by something else inside their vehicle.

The majority of crashes (182) occurred on straight and level sections of roadway. However, 21 crashes (9.8%) took place on a grade, either straight or curved. An additional 17 crashes (7.9%) occurred on curved road segments.

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in a few key areas, with the city of Lima accounting for 91 of the 215 total crashes (42.3%). The townships of American (20 crashes), Shawnee (19 crashes), and Bath (19 crashes) were the next most frequent locations. Together, the top five locations represented nearly 75% of all crashes in the county.

Analysis of the actions of 383 vehicles prior to impact shows that 209 (54.6%) were moving straight ahead. The second most common pre-crash action was slowing or stopping in traffic, which was reported for 53 vehicles (13.8%). An additional 30 vehicles were parked when they were involved in a collision.

Single-vehicle crashes, categorized as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport', were the most common incident type, accounting for 80 of the 215 crashes (37.2%). Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were most frequent (49 crashes, 22.8%), followed by rear-end collisions (41 crashes, 19.1%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 190 of the 383 vehicles (49.6%). Sport Utility Vehicles (73 vehicles) and Pickups (45 vehicles) were the next most frequent types. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors and single-unit trucks, were involved in 28 incidents.

A total of 498 people were involved in crashes during this period, with the majority being drivers (351 people, or 70.5%). Passengers accounted for 146 individuals (29.3%). One pedestrian was also involved in a crash.

Of the 498 individuals involved in crashes, 84 people sustained an injury, representing 16.9% of all participants. These injuries included 8 serious injuries, 46 minor injuries, and 30 possible injuries. The remaining 406 individuals were not injured.

Among 497 vehicle occupants for whom safety equipment use could be determined, 409 (82.3%) were reported as using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 26 occupants were reported as not using any form of restraint system. Child restraints, including forward-facing seats and boosters, were used by 15 children.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common scenario, accounting for 146 of the 215 total crashes (67.9%). Single-vehicle crashes were also frequent, with 59 incidents recorded (27.4%). Multi-vehicle pile-ups involving three or more vehicles were less common, with 10 such crashes documented.