1,267 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

All 8 fatalities recorded in 2021 were motorists. In total, 406 motorists were injured. Additionally, 3 pedestrians were injured in crashes during this period, though no pedestrian fatalities were reported. There were no recorded fatalities or injuries involving bicyclists.

Crash analysis by time reveals specific patterns, with Wednesdays seeing the highest frequency of incidents (211 crashes). The afternoon rush hour is the most hazardous time, with the peak hour for crashes occurring at 2 p.m. (91 crashes) and a sustained high volume of incidents from 1 p.m. through 7 p.m.

Of the 1,267 total crashes, 7 were classified as fatal. The majority of crashes (75.2%, or 953 incidents) resulted in no injuries. Injury-related crashes accounted for 24.2% of the total, comprising 30 serious injury, 136 minor injury, and 141 possible injury crashes. The 7 fatal crashes resulted in a total of 8 fatalities, as a single crash can involve more than one death.

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

A significant portion of crashes occurred in seemingly ideal conditions, with 58.0% on clear days, 75.0% on dry road surfaces, and 61.7% during daylight hours. Adverse conditions were also a factor in many incidents; 136 crashes occurred during rain, 45 in snow, and 413 took place in dark or dawn/dusk lighting conditions.

Analysis of persons involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 386 individuals. Among the 1,982 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Chevrolet (370 vehicles), Ford (265 vehicles), and Honda (130 vehicles).

The initial point of impact for most crashes was on the primary roadway, accounting for 834 incidents. However, a substantial number of crashes involved vehicles leaving the travel lanes. Run-off-road events, including crashes on the roadside (295), shoulder (36), and median (15), collectively represent 27.5% of all crashes where the location was specified.

The vast majority of vehicle units were involved in crashes at locations with no traffic control devices, accounting for 1,594 of 1,982 units. In contrast, 201 units were in crashes at locations with a traffic signal, and 171 units were at locations controlled by a stop sign.

Analysis of driver actions reveals that driving off the road was the most cited contributing factor, noted for 210 units. This was followed by unsafe speed (176 units), following too closely (168 units), and failure to yield (137 units).

Crashes involved a total of 204 commercial trucks. Of these, 151 were identified as semi-tractor trailers and 53 were classified as other types of commercial vehicles.

A total of 27 crashes involved motorcyclists or vulnerable road users. This group included 23 motorcyclists, 3 pedestrians, and 1 bicyclist.

Crashes involving animals accounted for 133 incidents, representing 10.5% of all crashes in the county. The vast majority of these, 129 crashes, specifically involved deer.

Impairment was a factor in 94 crashes, constituting 7.4% of the total. Among these, alcohol was suspected in 47 incidents, drugs in 25, and a combination of alcohol and drugs in 22.

Among 1,892 drivers with a recorded condition, 92 were noted as being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol. An additional 37 drivers were identified as having fallen asleep, fainted, or been fatigued at the time of their crash.

For drivers where a distraction was noted, the most common were other distractions inside the vehicle (29 drivers) and outside the vehicle (22 drivers). Manually operating an electronic communication device was a factor for 8 drivers, while other activities with an electronic device distracted 6 drivers.

Roadway geometry played a role in many crashes, with 49.3% of incidents occurring on a grade (either straight or curved). Crashes on curves accounted for 22.3% of the total, with 208 of these happening on a curve with a grade.

The geographic distribution of crashes is concentrated in a few key areas. The top three locations, Richland (325 crashes), Pease (127 crashes), and Pultney (104 crashes), together account for 43.9% of all incidents in the county.

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles involved was driving straight ahead, which was the case for 1,061 of the 1,982 vehicles (53.5%). The next most frequent actions were negotiating a curve (221 vehicles) and slowing or stopped in traffic (194 vehicles).

Single-vehicle crashes, classified as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport', were the most frequent type, accounting for 663 incidents or 52.3% of all crashes. Among multi-vehicle incidents, rear-end collisions were the most common, with 188 crashes (14.8%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 780 of the 1,982 total vehicles. Sport Utility Vehicles (477) and Pick-up trucks (376) were the next most frequent types.

Of the 2,548 people involved in crashes, the majority (1,892, or 74.3%) were drivers. Passengers, classified as occupants, comprised the next largest group with 651 individuals (25.5%). A small fraction, 5 individuals (0.2%), were pedestrians.

Among all 2,548 persons involved in crashes, 8 sustained fatal injuries and 37 suffered serious injuries. A total of 409 individuals experienced some level of injury, while 2,078 reported no injury.

Out of 2,540 occupants whose safety equipment use was recorded, 128 individuals (5.0%) were reported as not using any restraints. The majority, 1,986 occupants, were recorded as using both a shoulder and lap belt.

Two-vehicle crashes were the most common scenario, accounting for 634 incidents or 50.0% of the total. Single-vehicle crashes were also very common, with 594 incidents (46.9%). Crashes involving three or more vehicles were far less frequent, making up only 3.1% of the total.