1,136 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

Of the individuals killed or seriously injured (KSI), motorists were the most affected group, with 8 fatalities and 313 injuries reported. One pedestrian fatality was also recorded during this period, with no pedestrian injuries. The data shows no cyclists were killed or injured in crashes in 2021.

Crash frequencies in Defiance County peaked on Fridays, which saw 205 incidents, and during the 5 p.m. hour, with 100 crashes. Overall, more crashes occurred during daylight hours (601) than in dark conditions (451). The last two months of the year, November (130 crashes) and December (131 crashes), experienced the highest monthly crash volumes.

Out of 1,136 total crashes, 80.7% (917 incidents) were property-damage-only events with no reported injuries. Crashes involving injuries accounted for approximately 18.5% of the total, broken down into serious (21), minor (121), and possible (68) injury crashes. There were 9 fatal crashes, which is distinct from the total number of fatalities, as a single crash can result in multiple deaths.

The majority of crashes occurred under ideal driving conditions. Specifically, 79.2% of incidents (900 crashes) happened on dry road surfaces, 67.2% (763 crashes) in clear weather, and 52.9% (601 crashes) during daylight hours. Crashes in adverse conditions included 88 in rain and 46 in snow, while 176 occurred on wet roads.

Analysis of the 2,292 people involved in crashes shows the 35-44 age group was the most represented, with 328 individuals. Among the 1,670 vehicles involved, Chevrolet was the most frequent make with 456 vehicles, followed by Ford with 258 vehicles and Dodge with 134 vehicles. Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type, accounting for 741 of the vehicles in crashes.

The vast majority of crashes, 982 out of 1,136, had their first harmful event occur on the primary roadway. However, a notable number of incidents were run-off-road events, with 80 crashes occurring on the roadside, 52 on the shoulder, and 3 in the median. Combined, these off-roadway crashes represent 11.9% of all collisions.

Of the 1,666 instances of traffic controls recorded for vehicles involved in crashes, the most common situation was the absence of any control, noted in 1,156 cases. Crashes at locations with traffic signals accounted for 355 instances, while those at intersections with stop signs accounted for 139 instances. A small number of incidents occurred at roundabouts (8) and locations with yield signs (7).

Among driver actions cited as contributing factors, 'Following too Close / ACDA' was the most common, attributed to 185 units. 'Drove off Road' was the second-leading factor with 107 instances, followed by 'Failure to Yield' with 103 instances. Other notable factors included 'Improper Backing' (50) and 'Improper Lane Change' (31).

There were 72 crashes involving commercial trucks. Of these, semi-tractor trailers were involved in 49 incidents, while other types of commercial vehicles were involved in the remaining 23 crashes.

A total of 27 crashes involved vulnerable road users or motorcyclists. Motorcyclists were involved in 21 of these incidents. The remaining crashes involved bicyclists (5) and pedestrians (1), for a combined total of 6 incidents involving vulnerable road users.

Crashes involving animals were a significant factor, totaling 439 incidents, which represents 38.6% of all crashes in the county. The overwhelming majority of these, 419 crashes, were collisions with deer. An additional 20 crashes involved other, unspecified types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 45 crashes, accounting for approximately 4% of all incidents. Among these, alcohol was the sole factor in 28 cases, drugs were the sole factor in 8 cases, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 9 cases.

Out of 1,594 drivers with a recorded condition, 73 were noted as being in a state other than 'Apparently Normal'. This includes 36 drivers 'Under the Influence of Medications / Drugs / Alcohol,' 14 who 'Fell Asleep; Fainted; Fatigued,' and 9 who were experiencing an illness.

Among 1,594 drivers, 85 were identified as being distracted. The most common sources of distraction were 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' (35 drivers) and 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (20 drivers). Electronic devices were a factor for 24 drivers, including 12 who were manually operating a device like texting or dialing.

The roadway geometry was straight and level for 982 of the 1,136 crashes. A total of 78 crashes (6.9%) occurred on curves, including 56 on level curves and 22 on graded curves. An additional 76 crashes took place on straight grades, bringing the total number of incidents on any graded roadway to 98 (8.6%).

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in the city of Defiance, which accounted for 508 incidents, or 44.7% of the county's total. The next highest volumes were in Hicksville with 92 crashes (8.1%) and Noble with 89 crashes (7.8%).

Examining the actions of the 1,670 vehicles prior to collision, the most common maneuver was driving 'Straight Ahead,' which accounted for 1,085 vehicles (65%). The next most frequent pre-crash action was 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic,' noted for 187 vehicles (11.2%), followed by 'Making Left Turn' for 98 vehicles.

The most frequent type of collision was a single-vehicle crash, classified as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which accounted for 671 incidents or 59.1% of all crashes. Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were the most common with 158 incidents (13.9%), followed closely by rear-end collisions with 155 incidents (13.6%).

Passenger cars were the most common type of vehicle involved in crashes, accounting for 741 of the 1,670 total vehicles (44.4%). Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) were the second most common with 408 vehicles (24.4%), followed by pickup trucks with 264 vehicles (15.8%).

Of the 2,292 individuals involved in crashes, the majority were drivers, who accounted for 1,594 people (69.6%). Passengers (occupants) made up the second-largest group with 697 individuals (30.4%). A single pedestrian was also involved in a crash during this period.

Across all 2,292 people involved in crashes, 1,957 (85.4%) sustained no injuries. A total of 313 individuals were injured, representing 13.7% of all persons involved. Nine people sustained fatal injuries, accounting for 0.4% of the total.

Among 2,292 vehicle occupants and other participants, 1,852 were recorded as using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 146 individuals, or 6.4% of the total, were recorded as using no safety equipment at all. Child restraints, including forward-facing, rear-facing, and booster seats, were used by 124 occupants.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common type, with 641 incidents (56.4% of the total). Two-vehicle collisions were also frequent, accounting for 462 crashes (40.7%). Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, with 33 such incidents recorded, none of which were noted as large-scale pile-ups.