Yearly Traffic Safety Analysis

15,647 CRASHES IN
CINCINNATI, OH
2021

In 2021, Cincinnati experienced a total of 15,647 crashes, resulting in 47 fatalities and 5,081 injuries. A notable finding is that 4,732 crashes, or 30.2% of all incidents, were identified as hit-and-run events.

15,647

Total Crash Events

47

Persons Killed

5,081

Persons Injured

30.2%

Hit-and-Run Rate

Note: "Persons Killed" (47) counts individual fatalities across all crash events. "Fatal" in the severity table below (41) counts crash events where at least one fatality occurred. A single crash can result in multiple fatalities.

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Aggregate counts from crash, person, and vehicle records

4,732

Hit-and-Run Crashes — 2021

Hit-and-run incidents constituted a significant portion of crashes in 2021, with 4,732 reported cases, representing 30.2% of all crashes. It is important to note that hit-and-run status is based on the responding officer's initial determination at the scene.

Vulnerable Road User Casualties

Motorists accounted for the highest number of killed and seriously injured persons, with 39 fatalities and 4,825 injuries. Pedestrians were also significantly impacted, with 8 killed and 256 injured in crashes. Cyclists experienced no fatalities and no injuries in 2021.

8

Pedestrians Killed

39

Motorists Killed

256

Pedestrians Injured

4,825

Motorists Injured

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Mode classified from person records (driver/passenger → motorist; pedestrian; bicyclist → cyclist; in-line skater / unspecified → other)

When Crashes Happen

Crashes in Cincinnati peaked on Fridays, with 2,641 incidents recorded, making it the highest day for crashes. The peak hour for crashes was 4 p.m., with 1,209 incidents. A majority of crashes, 10,721, occurred during daylight hours (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.), compared to 4,926 crashes during dark hours (7 p.m. to 5 a.m.).

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Crash date field aggregated by weekday

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Crash time field aggregated by hour (0-23)

Crash Severity Breakdown

The majority of crashes in 2021, 76.9% (12,037 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Injury crashes, encompassing serious, minor, and possible injuries, accounted for 3,569 incidents, or 22.8% of the total. There were 41 fatal crashes, which led to 47 total fatalities, indicating that some fatal crashes involved multiple deaths.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 41 fatal crash events resulted in 47 persons killed.

Outcome by Severity (Crash Events)

Fatal41fatal crashes0.3%
Serious Injury195serious injury crashes1.2%
Minor Injury1,794minor injury crashes11.5%
Possible Injury1,580possible injury crashes10.1%
No Injury12,037no injury crashes76.9%

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · KABCO injury classification scale

Severity Distribution (Crash Events)

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Most severe injury per crash record

Road & Environmental Conditions

Most crashes in 2021 occurred under optimal conditions: 10,546 crashes happened in clear weather, 11,748 on dry road surfaces, and 10,172 during daylight hours. However, adverse conditions also contributed to a notable number of incidents, with 2,099 crashes occurring in rain and 3,229 on wet roads.

Weather

Clear10,546 (67.4%)
Cloudy2,404 (15.4%)
Rain2,099 (13.4%)
Snow381 (2.4%)
Other/Unknown167 (1.1%)
Sleet; Hail27 (0.2%)
Fog; Smog; Smoke12 (0.1%)
Freezing Rain or Freezing Drizzle9 (0.1%)
Blowing Sand; Soil; Dirt; Snow1 (0.0%)
Severe Crosswinds1 (0.0%)

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Weather condition at time of crash

Lighting

Daylight10,172 (65.0%)
Dark - Lighted Roadway4,309 (27.5%)
Dawn/Dusk618 (3.9%)
Dark - Roadway Not Lighted299 (1.9%)
Other/Unknown149 (1.0%)
Dark - Unknown Roadway Lighting100 (0.6%)

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Lighting condition field

Road Surface

Dry11,748 (75.1%)
Wet3,229 (20.6%)
Snow340 (2.2%)
Ice155 (1.0%)
Other/Unknown135 (0.9%)
Slush32 (0.2%)
Water (Standing; Moving)6 (0.0%)
Sand; Mud; Dirt; Oil; Gravel2 (0.0%)

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Road surface condition field

Vehicles & Demographics

The age group 26-34 was most represented among persons involved in crashes, with 6,121 individuals. This was followed by the 35-44 age group (4,749) and 21-25 age group (4,058). Ford vehicles were involved in the highest number of incidents (3,735), closely followed by Chevrolet (3,636), Honda (3,148), and Toyota (3,067).

Top Vehicle Makes (30,990 vehicles)

1
FORD3,735 (12.1%)
2
CHEVROLET3,636 (11.7%)
3
HONDA3,148 (10.2%)
4
TOYOTA3,067 (9.9%)
5
NISSAN1,950 (6.3%)
6
HYUNDAI1,415 (4.6%)
7
KIA1,212 (3.9%)
8
DODGE1,133 (3.7%)
9
JEEP755 (2.4%)
10
MAZDA639 (2.1%)

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Vehicle unit records

4,243 persons with unknown or unrecorded age excluded from age chart.

Sex Distribution (26,889 persons with recorded sex)

Male14,719 (54.7%)
Female12,170 (45.3%)

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Person-level records linked to crash events

Crash Location (First Harmful Event)

In 2021, 14,480 crashes occurred on the roadway, while 744 crashes (4.75% of the total) occurred off the travel lanes, specifically on the shoulder (382), roadside (343), or in the median (19). An additional 218 crashes occurred outside the trafficway. This indicates a notable proportion of run-off-road incidents.

Crash Location (First Harmful Event)

"Other" combines 5 smaller categories (50 records): Driveway/Alley access (26), In Median (19), On Gore (3), Shared-use paths or trails (1), Crossover (1).

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Crash-level records

Traffic Control Device

Among vehicles involved in crashes, the dominant traffic control environment was 'No Control,' accounting for 20,450 vehicles. Locations with traffic signals were associated with 7,633 vehicles involved in crashes, while uncontrolled locations (no control, stop signs, yield signs, roundabouts) accounted for 21,796 vehicles, or 73.46% of vehicles involved.

Traffic Control Device

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Vehicle unit records

Driver Contributing Factor

The most frequently reported contributing factors among drivers were 'Other Improper Action' (3,369 drivers, 12.29% of all drivers), 'Following too Close / ACDA' (3,273 drivers, 11.94%), and 'Improper Lane Change' (1,692 drivers, 6.17%). 'Failure to Yield' (1,563 drivers) and 'Improper Turn' (1,001 drivers) were also significant factors.

Driver Contributing Factor

1
Other Improper Action3,369 (22.5%)
2
Following too Close / ACDA3,273 (21.9%)
3
Improper Lane Change1,692 (11.3%)
4
Failure to Yield1,563 (10.5%)
5
Improper Turn1,001 (6.7%)
6
Ran Red Light745 (5%)
7
Improper Backing569 (3.8%)
8
Drove off Road552 (3.7%)
9
Unsafe Speed479 (3.2%)

Showing top 9 of 23 reported. 14 additional (1,701 total) not shown: Left of Center, Improper Passing, Ran Stop Sign, Swerving to Avoid, Improper Start From a Parked Position, Wrong Way, Improper Crossing, Operating Defective Equipment, Opening Door into Roadway, Stopped or Parked Illegally, Load shifting/Falling/Spilling, Vision Obstruction, Not Discernible, Lying in Roadway.

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Vehicle unit records

Commercial / Truck Involvement

In 2021, 1,317 commercial vehicles were involved in crashes, comprising 4.25% of all vehicles involved. This total included 795 'Other Commercial Vehicles' and 522 'Semi-Tractor Trailers'.

Vulnerable Road Users & Motorcycles

A total of 303 crashes involved vulnerable road users, specifically pedestrians (262 crashes) and bicyclists (41 crashes), representing 1.94% of all crashes. Additionally, 113 crashes involved motorcyclists, highlighting the risks faced by these road users.

Animal-Involved Crashes

In 2021, there were 67 animal-strike crashes, accounting for 0.43% of all incidents. The majority of these involved deer, with 56 reported deer-related crashes, while 11 crashes involved other animals.

Impairment (Alcohol / Drugs)

A total of 544 crashes were attributed to impaired driving in 2021, representing 3.48% of all crashes. These incidents included 414 crashes involving alcohol, 86 involving drugs, and 44 involving both alcohol and drugs.

Driver Condition

Among drivers involved in crashes, 835 individuals (3.05%) were noted to have abnormal conditions at the time of the incident. This included 376 drivers under the influence of medications/drugs/alcohol, 221 drivers experiencing emotional distress, 101 with physical impairments, 93 who fell asleep/fainted/were fatigued, and 44 with an illness.

Driver Condition

1
Apparently Normal22,110 (87.9%)
2
Other/Unknown2,219 (8.8%)
3
Under the Influence of Medications / Drugs / Alcohol376 (1.5%)
4
Emotional (E.G.; Depressed; Angry; Disturbed)221 (0.9%)
5
Physical Impairment101 (0.4%)
6
Fell Asleep; Fainted; Fatigued; etc.93 (0.4%)
7
Illness44 (0.2%)

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Person-level records linked to crash events

Driver Distraction

Driver distraction was a factor for 680 drivers in 2021, representing 2.48% of all drivers. The most common specific distractions included 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (272 drivers) and 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' (211 drivers). Manually operating an electronic communication device distracted 69 drivers.

Driver Distraction

1
Not Distracted21,988 (80.3%)
2
Other/Unknown4,725 (17.2%)
3
Other distraction outside the vehicle272 (1%)
4
Other distraction inside the vehicle211 (0.8%)
5
Manually operating an electronic communication device (texting; typing; dialing)69 (0.3%)
6
Other activity with an electronic device65 (0.2%)
7
Passenger34 (0.1%)
8
Talking on hand-held communication device23 (0.1%)
9
Talking on hands-free communication device6

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Person-level records linked to crash events

Road Alignment

A significant portion of crashes occurred on straight-level roadways, accounting for 10,767 incidents. However, 1,800 crashes (11.51%) occurred on curves (curve grade or curve level), and 4,102 crashes (26.23%) occurred on grades (straight grade or curve grade).

Road Alignment

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Crash-level records

Pre-Crash Driver Action

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was 'Straight Ahead,' accounting for 15,487 instances, or 51.8% of all reported actions. 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic' was the second most frequent action with 3,569 instances (11.9%), followed by 'Parked' with 3,254 instances (10.9%).

Pre-Crash Driver Action

1
Straight Ahead15,487 (50%)
2
Slowing or Stopped In Traffic3,569 (11.5%)
3
Parked3,254 (10.5%)
4
Making Left Turn2,242 (7.2%)
5
Changing Lanes1,635 (5.3%)
6
Other/Unknown1,222 (3.9%)
7
Making Right Turn906 (2.9%)
8
Backing695 (2.2%)
9
Negotiating a Curve540 (1.7%)

Showing top 9 of 21 reported. 12 additional (1,440 total) not shown: Entering Traffic Lane, Overtaking/Passing, Leaving Traffic Lane, Walking; Running; Jogging; Playing, Making U-Turn, Entering or Crossing Specified Location, Driverless, Other Non-Motorist, Standing, Approaching or Leaving Vehicle, Standing Outside Disabled Vehicle, Working.

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Vehicle unit records

Manner of Collision

The most frequent manner of collision was 'Angle' with 4,260 crashes, representing 27.2% of all incidents. 'Rear-end' collisions accounted for 3,567 crashes (22.8%), while 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport' represented 3,525 crashes (22.5%).

Manner of Collision

"Other" combines 2 smaller categories (346 records): Other/Unknown (301), Rear-to-rear (45).

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Crash-level records

Vehicle Type

Passenger cars were the dominant vehicle type involved in crashes, with 19,620 instances. Sport Utility Vehicles (5,242) and Pickups (1,806) were also frequently involved. Commercial vehicle types, including Semi-Tractors, Single Unit Trucks, Cargo Vans, and Buses, collectively accounted for 1,750 vehicles, representing 5.83% of all vehicles with known types.

Vehicle Type

"Other" combines 16 smaller categories (1,437 records): Cargo Van (411), Bus (16+ Passengers) (310), Pedestrian/Skater (265), Other Vehicle (151), Motorcycle 2 Wheeled (113), Van (9-15 Seats) (58), Heavy Equipment (57), Bicycle (41), Wheelchair (Any type) (8), Motorcycle 3 Wheeled (6), Moped or Motorized Bicycle (6), All Terrain Vehicle (ATV/UTV) (4), Motorhome (3), Train (2), Animal with Rider or Animal Drawn Vehicle (1), Farm Equipment (1).

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Vehicle unit records

Person Type

Drivers constituted the largest group of persons involved in crashes, totaling 27,409 individuals. Occupants (passengers) accounted for 3,043 persons, representing 9.9% of all persons involved. Pedestrians were involved in crashes as 273 individuals, making up 0.89% of all persons.

Person Type

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Crash-level records

Person Injury Severity

Out of 30,725 persons involved in crashes, 47 (0.15%) sustained fatal injuries. A total of 5,081 persons (16.54%) sustained some form of injury (serious, minor, or possible). The majority, 25,584 persons, sustained no injuries.

Person Injury Severity

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Crash-level records

Occupant Safety Equipment

Among motor-vehicle occupants, 22,519 individuals used both shoulder and lap belts. However, 1,160 individuals (4.78% of those with known safety equipment use) were reported as using no safety equipment. Child restraint systems (forward-facing, rear-facing, or booster seats) were used by 337 children.

Occupant Safety Equipment

"Other" combines 4 smaller categories (91 records): Booster Seat (48), Helmet Used (40), Protective Pads Used (Elbow; knees; etc.) (2), Lighting - Pedestrian / Bicycle Only (1).

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Person-level records linked to crash events

Vehicles Per Crash

The majority of crashes involved two vehicles, totaling 12,407 incidents. Single-vehicle crashes accounted for 1,930 incidents, representing 12.33% of all crashes. There were also 1,310 multi-vehicle crashes involving three or more vehicles, with the largest incident involving nine vehicles.

Vehicles Per Crash

"Other" combines 2 smaller categories (4 records): 8 (3), 9 (1).

Source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS) · Csv Open Data · 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31 · Crash-level records

Data Sources & Methodology

Primary Data Source

All crash data in this report is sourced from Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS), accessed programmatically via the Csv Open Data API (SODA). This dataset contains official police-reported motor vehicle traffic crash records maintained by the reporting jurisdiction's law enforcement agency. Records are published to the open data portal by the municipality and are subject to the portal's terms of use.

Data Retrieval

  • Access method: Csv Open Data API (SoQL queries)
  • Data format: Structured JSON via REST API
  • Record types queried: Crash events, person records, and vehicle unit records
  • Date filter applied: 2021-01-01 through 2021-12-31
  • Report generated: July 5, 2026

Data Coverage

  • Reporting period: 2021-01-01 through 2021-12-31 (365 days)
  • Geographic scope: Cincinnati, OH
  • Total crash records analyzed: 15,647
  • Total persons involved: 30,725
  • Total vehicles involved: 30,990

Analytical Methodology

  • Severity classification: Uses the KABCO injury scale (K=Fatal, A=Incapacitating injury, B=Non-incapacitating injury, C=Possible injury, O=No injury/property damage only), the standard classification in U.S. Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (MMUCC). Severity is assigned per crash event based on the most severe injury in that crash. A single fatal crash (K) may involve multiple fatalities; therefore the "Persons Killed" count in the headline KPIs may differ from the "Fatal" crash count in the severity breakdown.
  • Contributing factors: Reflect the officer-determined primary contributory cause recorded at the time of the crash report. These are preliminary determinations and may not reflect final investigation findings.
  • Hit-and-run classification: Based on the hit-and-run indicator field in the official crash report, as determined by the responding officer at the scene.
  • Temporal analysis: Day-of-week and hour-of-day distributions are computed from the crash date/time timestamp in each record.
  • Demographics: Age and sex distributions are drawn from person-level records linked to each crash event. A single crash may involve multiple persons.
  • Vehicle data: Make information is drawn from vehicle unit records linked to each crash event.
  • AI commentary: Narrative sections are generated by Google Gemini (large language model) based on the structured data. Commentary is descriptive, not predictive, and should not be interpreted as expert opinion.

Limitations & Disclaimers

  • Only crashes reported to and documented by law enforcement are included. Minor incidents, unreported crashes, and near-misses are not captured in this dataset.
  • Data reflects conditions at the time of the initial police report and may be subject to subsequent corrections, reclassifications, or supplements by the reporting agency.
  • Open data portal records may experience a publication lag - recently occurring crashes may not yet appear in the dataset at the time of report generation.
  • AI-generated commentary is produced by a large language model and is intended to highlight patterns in the data. It does not constitute legal, medical, or professional analysis.
  • Percentages are calculated from reported data and are subject to rounding.

Non-Affiliation Disclosure

This report is produced independently by ThatCarHitMe.com (Injuria.ai). It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in partnership with any law enforcement agency, municipal government, state department of transportation, or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Data is sourced from publicly available government open data portals.

Data License

The underlying crash data is provided under the municipality's Open Data Terms of Use and is made available to the public for unrestricted use. This analysis and report is © 2026 Injuria.ai and may be cited with attribution using the suggested citation below.

Corrections & Feedback

If you believe any data in this report is inaccurate or have questions about our methodology, please contact: data@injuria.ai. We are committed to accuracy and will issue corrections promptly.

Suggested Citation

ThatCarHitMe.com (Injuria.ai). "Cincinnati, OH Crash Intelligence Report: 2021." Published July 5, 2026. Reporting period: 2021-01-01 to 2021-12-31. Data source: Ohio Crash Data (ODOT TIMS), Csv Open Data. Available at: https://thatcarhitme.com/crash-data/ohio/cincinnati/2021-annual-report

About the Publisher

ThatCarHitMe.com is a crash data intelligence platform developed by Injuria.ai, a legal technology company specializing in traffic safety analytics. We aggregate and analyze publicly available government crash data to produce structured intelligence reports for communities, researchers, journalists, and legal professionals. Our reports combine programmatic data retrieval from official open data portals with AI-assisted narrative analysis.

Questions about this report's data or methodology: data@injuria.ai

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Cincinnati, OH Crash Report — 2021 | ThatCarHitMe.com