3,917 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

Motorists comprised the vast majority of those killed or injured, with 21 fatalities and 1,505 injuries recorded. Crashes also resulted in 2 pedestrian fatalities and 32 pedestrian injuries. There were no cyclist fatalities or injuries reported in the 2021 data.

Crash frequencies in Clark County peaked on Fridays, with 627 incidents, and during the 4 p.m. hour, which saw 325 crashes. The data shows a clear daytime pattern, with crashes steadily increasing from 6 a.m. to a peak in the late afternoon. Crashes during daylight hours (2,349) were nearly double those occurring in dark conditions (1,280).

Of the 3,917 total crashes, 72.4% (2,834) resulted in no injuries, while the remaining 27.6% involved a possible, minor, serious, or fatal injury. There were 22 distinct fatal crashes, which led to a total of 23 fatalities, indicating that most fatal incidents resulted in a single death.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 22 fatal crash events resulted in 23 persons killed.

The majority of crashes occurred in favorable conditions. Incidents in clear weather accounted for 2,127 crashes, while 2,841 happened on dry road surfaces. Daylight conditions were present for 2,349 crashes, representing 59.9% of the total. Adverse conditions were less frequent, with 500 crashes occurring during rain and 829 on wet roads.

Among the 8,532 people involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 1,251 individuals. The top three vehicle makes involved in incidents were Chevrolet (1,184 vehicles), Ford (828 vehicles), and Honda (704 vehicles). Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type, involved in 3,107 instances.

The initial harmful event in most crashes, 3,147 incidents or 80.3%, occurred on the primary roadway. A significant portion, totaling 593 crashes (15.1%), were classified as run-off-road events, with the first harmful event happening on the roadside (430), shoulder (142), or in the median (21).

The most common traffic control environment where crashes occurred was 'No Control,' which was documented in 4,799 vehicle instances. Crashes at signalized intersections were noted in 1,458 instances. An additional 560 instances occurred at locations controlled by a stop sign.

Analysis of driver actions shows that 'Following too Close / ACDA' was the leading contributing factor, cited in 599 instances. This was followed by 'Other Improper Action' with 596 instances, 'Failure to Yield' with 467 instances, and 'Drove off Road' with 408 instances.

Crashes involving commercial trucks accounted for 335 incidents, or 8.5% of all crashes in Clark County. Of these, 206 involved a semi-tractor trailer, while the remaining 129 involved other types of commercial vehicles.

There were 121 crashes involving motorcyclists, pedestrians, or bicyclists. Vulnerable road users (pedestrians and bicyclists) were involved in a combined 53 crashes, representing 1.4% of all incidents. Motorcyclists were involved in an additional 68 crashes.

A total of 250 crashes, or 6.4% of all incidents, were attributed to collisions with animals. Deer were the most common animal involved, accounting for 232 of these crashes, or 92.8% of all animal-related incidents.

Impairment was a factor in 270 crashes, representing 6.9% of the total. Alcohol was the most cited substance, involved in 153 crashes, while drugs were a factor in 76 crashes. An additional 41 crashes involved a combination of both alcohol and drugs.

Among the 5,996 drivers involved in crashes, 320 were noted as having a condition other than 'Apparently Normal'. The most cited condition was 'Under the Influence of Medications / Drugs / Alcohol,' recorded for 235 drivers. An additional 44 drivers were reported to have fallen asleep, fainted, or been fatigued.

A specific distraction was identified for 220 of the 5,996 drivers involved in crashes. The most common issues were 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' (80 drivers) and 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (67 drivers). Manually operating an electronic device like a phone was cited for 28 drivers.

The vast majority of crashes (3,017) occurred on straight and level sections of road. However, 709 crashes (18.1%) happened on a grade, and 316 crashes (8.1%) occurred on a curve. Crashes on sections with both a curve and a grade totaled 132.

The geographic distribution of crashes was heavily concentrated in the city of Springfield, which accounted for 2,710 incidents, or 69.2% of the county's total. The townships of Mad River and Bethel followed, with 306 (7.8%) and 241 (6.1%) crashes, respectively.

Among the 6,865 vehicles involved, the most common pre-crash action was driving 'Straight Ahead,' reported for 3,656 vehicles (53.2%). The next most frequent actions were 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic' (683 vehicles) and being 'Parked' (609 vehicles).

Single-vehicle crashes, categorized as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' were the most common type of incident, accounting for 1,652 crashes (42.2%). Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were the most frequent, with 993 incidents (25.4%), followed by rear-end collisions with 650 incidents (16.6%).

Passenger cars were the most prevalent vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 3,107 of the 6,865 vehicles (45.3%). Sport Utility Vehicles (1,449) and Pick-up trucks (848) were the next most common. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors, single-unit trucks, and buses, were involved in 419 instances.

Of the 8,532 individuals involved in crashes, the majority were drivers (5,996 people, or 70.3%). Passengers, referred to as occupants, accounted for another 2,496 individuals (29.3%). A small fraction were pedestrians, who made up 40 of the total persons involved.

Among the 8,532 people involved in crashes, 1,537 sustained some level of injury, representing 18.0% of all participants. A total of 23 individuals suffered fatal injuries. The largest group, 6,502 people, were recorded as having no injuries.

Based on records for 8,532 participants, 6,341 individuals were noted as using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 517 people, or 6.1% of all participants, were recorded as using no safety equipment at the time of the crash. Child restraints were used for 300 occupants.

The majority of crashes (2,501 incidents, or 63.8%) involved two vehicles. Single-vehicle crashes were also common, accounting for 1,207 incidents (30.8%). Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less frequent, totaling 209 incidents, with one crash involving as many as seven vehicles.