352 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
NOVEMBER 2021

During this period, 8 people were killed and 102 were injured in traffic crashes. Motorists comprised the largest group of casualties, with 6 fatalities and 100 injuries. Two pedestrians were also killed and two were injured. No cyclists were reported killed or injured in this dataset.

Crash patterns in November showed a concentration on Mondays, which was the peak day with 66 incidents. The single hour with the most crashes was the 6 p.m. hour, recording 31 incidents. Analysis of lighting conditions reveals that more crashes occurred during hours of darkness (171 incidents) than in daylight (162 incidents).

Of the 352 total crashes, 78.4% resulted in no injuries, being classified as property damage only. The remaining 21.7% of crashes involved some level of injury. There were 7 fatal crashes recorded, which resulted in a total of 8 fatalities, indicating at least one crash involved multiple deaths.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 7 fatal crash events resulted in 8 persons killed.

The majority of crashes occurred on dry roads (81.3%) and in clear weather (68.2%). However, lighting was a more varied factor, with 162 crashes (46%) happening in daylight, while 171 crashes (48.6%) occurred in dark conditions. Adverse weather was noted in a smaller number of incidents, including 19 crashes in rain and 14 in snow.

Analysis of persons involved in crashes shows the 16-20 age group was the most represented, with 113 individuals, followed by the 26-34 age group with 108 individuals. Among the 556 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Ford, with 121 vehicles, Chevrolet with 105, and Dodge with 41.

The initial harmful event for the vast majority of crashes, 300 out of 352, occurred on the roadway. A total of 39 crashes, or 11.1% of the total, were classified as run-off-road incidents, with the first harmful event occurring on the roadside (27), shoulder (6), or in the median (6).

Analysis of traffic controls present at crash locations shows that a majority of vehicles (381) were involved in crashes where no traffic control device was present. Crashes at signalized intersections involved 125 vehicles, while those at locations with stop signs involved 42 vehicles.

The most frequently cited contributing factors for drivers involved in crashes were 'Following too Close / ACDA,' attributed to 50 drivers, and 'Failure to Yield,' cited for 48 drivers. 'Drove off Road' was the third most common factor, noted for 32 drivers, followed by 'Unsafe Speed' for 14 drivers.

Crashes involving commercial trucks were documented in at least 23 incidents. Of these, 18 involved a semi-tractor trailer, while 5 involved other types of commercial vehicles. These incidents represent approximately 6.5% of all crashes during the period.

Animal-related collisions were a significant factor, accounting for 100 crashes, or 28.4% of the total for the month. The vast majority of these incidents, 99 out of 100, involved collisions with deer, highlighting a notable seasonal hazard.

Impairment was a noted factor in 18 crashes, representing 5.1% of all incidents. Among these, alcohol was suspected in 11 cases, drugs in 4 cases, and a combination of alcohol and drugs in 3 cases. These figures are based on officer suspicion at the scene and should be considered a minimum.

Beyond those noted as 'Apparently Normal,' specific adverse driver conditions were recorded for 24 drivers. This included 15 drivers suspected of being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol. Other noted conditions were fatigue or falling asleep (3 drivers), illness (2 drivers), and emotional distress (2 drivers).

Driver distraction was identified as a factor for 25 drivers involved in crashes. The most common specific distraction was 'Other distraction inside the vehicle,' noted for 15 drivers. Electronic device use was explicitly cited for 5 drivers, including 3 who were manually operating a device and 1 talking on a hand-held device.

The majority of crashes (306) occurred on straight and level road segments. However, road geometry was a factor in some incidents, with 24 crashes (6.8%) occurring on curves and 30 crashes (8.5%) taking place on grades. Nine of these crashes occurred on segments that were both curved and graded.

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in a few key areas within the county. The city of Lima accounted for the largest share, with 88 crashes, representing 25% of the total. The townships of Bath and American followed, with 56 (15.9%) and 47 (13.4%) crashes, respectively.

Analysis of vehicle actions prior to collision shows that the majority of vehicles (351, or 63.1%) were proceeding straight ahead. The next most common pre-crash action was slowing or being stopped in traffic, which accounted for 64 vehicles (11.5%). Making a left turn was the third most frequent action, involving 35 vehicles.

The most common type of crash was a single-vehicle incident, categorized as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which accounted for 189 crashes or 53.7% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were the most frequent type with 64 incidents (18.2%), followed by rear-end collisions with 50 incidents (14.2%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 257 of the 556 vehicles (46.2%). Sport Utility Vehicles (130) and Pick-up trucks (91) were the next most frequent types. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors and other trucks, were involved in 29 incidents.

A total of 717 people were involved in crashes during this period. Drivers were the largest group, accounting for 523 individuals (73%). Vehicle occupants or passengers comprised the next largest group with 190 individuals (26.5%), while 4 pedestrians (0.6%) were also involved.

Of the 717 individuals involved in crashes, 8 sustained fatal injuries (1.1%) and 102 sustained non-fatal injuries (14.2%). The majority of people involved, 598 individuals or 83.4%, were not injured. The non-fatal injuries included 10 serious injuries, 40 minor injuries, and 52 possible injuries.

Safety equipment usage was reported for most vehicle occupants, with 618 individuals (86.2%) recorded as using both a shoulder and lap belt. However, 28 individuals were reported as using no safety equipment at the time of their crash. An additional 13 occupants were secured using various child restraint systems.

The crashes were almost evenly split between two-vehicle incidents (171 crashes, or 48.6%) and single-vehicle incidents (165 crashes, or 46.9%). A smaller number of crashes were multi-vehicle pile-ups, with 15 crashes involving three vehicles and one crash involving four vehicles.