300 CRASHES IN
BELLEFONTAINE, OH
2021

In Bellefontaine during 2021, 64 motorists were injured, making them the most impacted group. One pedestrian sustained injuries, while no cyclists were injured. There were no fatalities reported among pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists.

Crashes in Bellefontaine peaked on Thursdays with 53 incidents, followed closely by Tuesdays and Fridays, both with 51 crashes. The highest concentration of crashes occurred at 3 PM, with 32 incidents reported at this hour. A significant majority of crashes, 217, happened during daylight hours, while 77 occurred during dark or dawn/dusk conditions.

Out of 300 crashes in Bellefontaine during 2021, 253 (84.3%) resulted in no injuries. There were 47 injury crashes, comprising 4 serious injury, 23 minor injury, and 20 possible injury incidents. No fatal crashes were reported in Bellefontaine for the year 2021.

The majority of crashes in Bellefontaine occurred under optimal conditions: 186 incidents happened during clear weather, 240 on dry road surfaces, and 217 during daylight. Conversely, 37 crashes occurred in adverse weather conditions (rain, snow, freezing rain, or fog), and 60 on adverse road surfaces (wet, snow, or ice).

Among the persons involved in crashes, the 65+ age group was most represented with 111 individuals, followed by the 0-15 age group with 106 individuals. Honda vehicles were most frequently involved in crashes with 138 instances, followed by Chevrolet with 93 and Ford with 78.

The majority of crashes, 268 (89.3%), occurred on the roadway itself. A smaller proportion of crashes, 20 (6.7%), occurred off the main travel lanes, specifically on the roadside or shoulder. An additional 7 crashes (2.3%) took place entirely outside the trafficway.

Among vehicles involved in crashes, 341 were at locations with no traffic control present. Traffic signals were present for 161 vehicles involved, while stop signs were present for 59 vehicles. This indicates that a substantial number of vehicles involved in crashes were at uncontrolled intersections or road segments.

The most frequent contributing factors among drivers involved in crashes were 'Following too Close / ACDA' (89 drivers, 17.0%), 'Failure to Yield' (52 drivers, 9.9%), and 'Other Improper Action' (30 drivers, 5.7%). 'Improper Backing' contributed to 25 incidents (4.8%), and 'Improper Lane Change' to 17 incidents (3.2%).

A total of 19 commercial vehicles were involved in crashes, with 10 being semi-tractor trailers and 9 being other commercial vehicles. This indicates that commercial vehicles were present in a notable number of incidents during the period.

A total of 11 animal-involved incidents were reported, with 9 involving deer and 2 involving other animals. Deer strikes represent the dominant type of animal-related crash in the area.

Out of 523 drivers, 11 were noted to have an abnormal physical or mental condition at the time of the crash. This included 5 drivers under the influence of medications/drugs/alcohol, 3 experiencing illness, 2 with physical impairments, and 1 who fell asleep/fainted/was fatigued.

Among drivers, 18 instances of distraction were identified. The most common distractions included 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' (10 drivers) and 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (4 drivers). Additionally, 2 drivers were talking on a hand-held communication device, and 1 was manually operating an electronic communication device.

The majority of crashes, 232, occurred on straight, level road alignments. However, 6 crashes (2.0%) occurred on curves (Curve Level or Curve Grade), which are areas associated with elevated risk. Additionally, 63 crashes (21.0%) occurred on road grades (Straight Grade or Curve Grade).

The most frequent pre-crash actions by vehicles were 'Straight Ahead' (274 vehicles, 48.2%), 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic' (107 vehicles, 18.8%), and 'Parked' (43 vehicles, 7.6%). These three actions collectively represent a significant portion of vehicle behaviors immediately prior to a crash.

The dominant manner of collision was 'Rear-end', accounting for 97 crashes or 32.3% of all incidents. 'Angle' collisions were the second most frequent, with 79 crashes (26.3%). 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport' represented 51 crashes (17.0%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 286 of the 568 total vehicles. Trucks and buses, including semi-tractors, cargo vans, and passenger buses, collectively represented 19 vehicles involved. Sport utility vehicles (125) and pick-up trucks (91) also had significant involvement.

Drivers constituted the largest group of persons involved in crashes, with 523 individuals, representing 73.5% of all persons. Occupants accounted for 188 individuals (26.4%), while 1 pedestrian was involved. These figures highlight that the vast majority of persons involved were vehicle occupants.

Out of 712 persons involved in crashes, 65 sustained injuries, representing 9.1% of all individuals. This total includes 4 serious injuries, 30 minor injuries, and 31 possible injuries. The remaining 635 persons (89.2%) did not sustain any injuries.

Among participants with recorded safety equipment use, 595 individuals (83.7%) used both shoulder and lap belts. However, 42 individuals (5.9%) were reported to have used no safety equipment. Child restraint systems were used by 26 children (17 forward-facing, 9 rear-facing).

The majority of crashes in Bellefontaine were two-vehicle incidents, totaling 246 crashes (82.0%). Single-vehicle crashes accounted for 43 incidents (14.3%). There were 11 multi-vehicle crashes involving three vehicles.