1,245 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, motorists comprised the largest group of individuals killed or injured, with 5 fatalities and 484 injuries. Pedestrians represented a high-severity group, with 4 fatalities and 9 injuries resulting from just 10 crashes. There were no cyclist fatalities or injuries reported during this period.

Crash frequency in Ashland County peaked on Tuesdays, which saw 202 incidents over the year. The single hour with the most crashes was from 4:00 PM to 4:59 PM, with 98 events, indicating a significant correlation with the evening commute. Overall, 60.7% of crashes (756) occurred during daylight hours, compared to 416 crashes that happened in dark or low-light conditions.

The majority of crashes, 72.1% or 898 incidents, resulted in no injuries and involved only property damage. Injury-sustaining crashes accounted for 27.2% of the total, comprising 48 serious injuries, 190 minor injuries, and 100 possible injuries. Nine crashes were fatal, representing 0.7% of all incidents and resulting in a total of 9 fatalities.

A majority of crashes in 2021 occurred in favorable conditions, with 58% (722) happening in clear weather and 74.8% (931) on dry road surfaces. Crashes during daylight hours accounted for 60.7% (756) of the total. Adverse conditions were less frequent, with 130 crashes occurring during rain, 73 in snow, and 214 on wet road surfaces.

Among the 2,586 people involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented with 384 individuals, followed by the 16-20 age group with 345. Of the 1,898 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Chevrolet (343), Ford (334), and Dodge (136). These three makes combined accounted for a significant portion of the vehicles in reported incidents.

The initial point of impact for most crashes, 937 incidents, was on the primary roadway. However, a significant number of crashes originated off the main travel lanes, with 168 occurring on the roadside, 70 on the shoulder, and 42 in the median. Combined, these 280 run-off-road crashes represent 22.5% of all incidents.

The majority of vehicles involved in crashes were at locations with no traffic control device present, accounting for 1,448 units. Crashes at signalized intersections involved 230 vehicles, while those at intersections with stop signs involved 190 vehicles. A smaller number of incidents occurred at locations with yield signs (15) or flashers (11).

The most common contributing factor cited for drivers was 'Following too Close / ACDA', noted in 166 instances. This was closely followed by 'Failure to Yield' with 165 instances and 'Unsafe Speed' with 147 instances. Other significant factors included 'Drove off Road' (142) and 'Other Improper Action' (72).

Crashes involving commercial trucks accounted for 125 incidents, representing 10% of all crashes in 2021. Of these, 95 crashes involved a semi-tractor trailer, while the remaining 30 involved other types of commercial vehicles.

In 2021, there were 40 crashes involving vulnerable road users or motorcyclists. Motorcyclists were involved in 27 of these incidents. Crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists, key vulnerable road user groups, totaled 13 incidents (10 pedestrian and 3 bicyclist).

Collisions with animals were a significant factor in Ashland County, accounting for 250 crashes, or 20.1% of the yearly total. The vast majority of these incidents, 226 crashes or 90.4%, involved deer. The remaining 24 crashes involved other, unspecified animals.

Impairment was a factor in 67 crashes, which is 5.4% of all incidents. Among these, alcohol was the sole factor in 49 cases. Nine crashes involved drugs, and an additional nine crashes involved a combination of both alcohol and drugs.

Excluding drivers noted as 'Apparently Normal', the most common condition reported was being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol, which was cited for 66 drivers. An additional 15 drivers were reported to have fallen asleep, fainted, or been fatigued. Physical impairment was noted for 9 drivers.

Among drivers for whom a distraction was identified, the most common issues were 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' (22 drivers) and 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (21 drivers). Manually operating an electronic device like a phone was cited for 13 drivers, and another 13 were distracted by another activity with an electronic device.

While most crashes (785) occurred on straight, level sections of road, a notable portion happened on more challenging alignments. Roadways with a grade were the site of 376 crashes, representing 30.2% of the total. Curved sections of road, both level and graded, accounted for 144 crashes, or 11.6% of all incidents.

The highest concentration of crashes occurred in the City of Ashland, with 294 incidents. The Township of Montgomery followed with 241 crashes, and the Township of Jackson recorded 83 crashes. These three areas collectively accounted for 618 of the 1,245 total crashes in the county.

The most common action for vehicles immediately prior to a crash was driving 'Straight Ahead', which was reported for 1,304 vehicles. The next most frequent pre-crash actions were 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic' (144 vehicles) and 'Making Left Turn' (132 vehicles).

Single-vehicle crashes, categorized as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport', were the most common type of incident, accounting for 697 crashes or 56% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were the most frequent with 211 incidents (16.9%), followed by rear-end collisions with 166 incidents (13.3%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 764 units. Sport Utility Vehicles (447 units) and Pick-up trucks (342 units) were the next most frequent. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors, single unit trucks, and cargo vans, were involved in a combined 172 instances.

Of the 2,586 individuals involved in crashes, the majority were drivers, accounting for 1,828 people or 70.7% of the total. Vehicle occupants or passengers made up the next largest group with 742 individuals (28.7%). A small but notable share consisted of 16 pedestrians involved in incidents.

Among the 2,586 people involved in crashes, 2,056 (79.5%) sustained no injuries. A total of 493 individuals were injured, representing 19.1% of all persons involved. This included 9 fatalities, 58 serious injuries, 267 minor injuries, and 168 possible injuries.

Among vehicle occupants where safety equipment use was recorded, 173 individuals were reported as using no restraints at the time of their crash. The vast majority, 2,107 people, were documented as using a shoulder and lap belt. Child restraints, including forward-facing, rear-facing, and booster seats, were used by a combined 116 children.

The data shows a near-even split between single-vehicle and two-vehicle crashes. Single-vehicle incidents accounted for 50.6% (630) of all crashes, while two-vehicle collisions made up 46.7% (582). Crashes involving three or more vehicles were far less common, totaling 33 incidents or 2.7% of all crashes.