2,398 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, motorists represented the vast majority of those killed or seriously injured, with 10 fatalities and 800 injuries. One pedestrian was also killed and 12 were injured in crashes during this period. There were no cyclist fatalities or injuries reported in the dataset for Erie County.

Crashes in Erie County occurred most frequently on Fridays, with 402 incidents recorded in 2021. The afternoon commute hour of 3 p.m. was the single busiest hour for crashes, with 180 events. Overall, crashes were concentrated during daylight hours, which saw 1,438 incidents, while a combined 782 crashes occurred in dark conditions.

Of the 2,398 total crashes, 76.6% resulted in no injuries, being classified as property damage only. Injury-related crashes, including serious, minor, and possible injuries, accounted for 23.1% of all incidents. The data shows 9 fatal crashes occurred, which resulted in a total of 11 fatalities across those events.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 9 fatal crash events resulted in 11 persons killed.

The majority of crashes occurred in favorable conditions. Specifically, 1,510 crashes (63.0%) happened in clear weather, 1,876 (78.2%) on dry road surfaces, and 1,438 (60.0%) during daylight hours. Adverse conditions were less frequent, with 210 crashes occurring in rain and 109 in snow.

The 26-34 age group was the most frequently involved in crashes, with 743 individuals recorded, followed closely by the 16-20 age group with 717 individuals. Among the 4,044 vehicles involved in crashes, the most common makes were Ford with 870 vehicles, Chevrolet with 696 vehicles, and Honda with 250 vehicles.

The vast majority of crashes, 2,023 out of 2,398, had their first harmful event occur on the roadway. A notable portion, totaling 303 incidents (12.6%), occurred off the primary travel lanes. These run-off-road crashes included 148 on the roadside, 125 on the shoulder, and 30 in the median.

Analysis of the 4,044 vehicles involved in crashes shows a majority (2,831) were in incidents at locations with no traffic control device. Crashes at signalized intersections involved 806 vehicles, while those at locations with a stop sign involved 348 vehicles.

The most frequently cited contributing factor for drivers was 'Following too Close / ACDA,' attributed to 497 vehicles. 'Failure to Yield' was the second most common factor with 346 vehicles, followed by 'Other Improper Action' with 262 vehicles and 'Drove off Road' with 211 vehicles.

Crashes involving commercial trucks accounted for 198 incidents in 2021. Of these, 157 crashes involved a semi-tractor trailer, representing the majority of commercial vehicle incidents. The remaining 41 crashes involved other types of commercial vehicles.

In 2021, there were 68 crashes involving motorcyclists, pedestrians, or bicyclists. Of these, 24 incidents involved vulnerable road users, with 14 involving pedestrians and 10 involving bicyclists. Motorcyclists were involved in the remaining 44 crashes.

Crashes involving animals totaled 334 incidents in 2021, accounting for 13.9% of all crashes in the county. The vast majority of these, 308 crashes, were collisions with deer. An additional 26 crashes involved other unspecified types of animals.

Impairment was a documented factor in 160 crashes, representing 6.7% of all incidents. Alcohol was the most common form of impairment, cited in 118 cases. Drugs were cited in 27 cases, and a combination of both alcohol and drugs was noted in 15 cases.

Among 3,745 drivers involved in crashes, 199 were noted as having a condition other than 'Apparently Normal'. The most common condition was 'Under the Influence of Medications / Drugs / Alcohol,' recorded for 117 drivers. Other reported conditions included 'Fell Asleep; Fainted; Fatigued' (38 drivers) and 'Physical Impairment' (28 drivers).

Among 3,745 drivers, 140 were identified as being distracted at the time of the crash. The leading specified distractions were 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' with 45 drivers and 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' with 41 drivers. Manually operating an electronic communication device, such as texting or dialing, was noted for 20 drivers.

The majority of crashes (2,078) occurred on straight, level road segments. However, 150 crashes, or 6.3% of the total, took place on curves. Roadways with a grade were the site of 217 crashes, including 48 incidents that occurred on a curved grade.

The highest concentration of crashes within the county occurred in Sandusky, which saw 659 incidents. Perkins followed with 480 crashes, and Milan had 221. These three municipalities alone accounted for 1,360 of the county's 2,398 total crashes.

The most common pre-crash action for the 4,044 vehicles involved was moving 'Straight Ahead,' which accounted for 2,337 units. The second most frequent action was 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic' with 576 units. Vehicles that were 'Parked' were involved in 282 incidents.

Single-vehicle crashes, classified as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' were the most common incident type, accounting for 977 crashes or 40.7% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, rear-end collisions were the most frequent pattern, with 549 incidents (22.9%), followed by angle collisions with 437 incidents (18.2%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 1,748 units, followed by Sport Utility Vehicles at 1,063 units. Pick-up trucks were the third most common with 539 units. Commercial vehicles also had a notable presence, with 187 semi-tractors involved in incidents.

Of the 5,064 individuals involved in crashes, the majority were drivers, accounting for 3,745 people (74.0%). Vehicle occupants, or passengers, comprised 1,305 individuals (25.8%). A smaller group of 14 pedestrians were also involved in crashes.

Out of 5,064 people involved in crashes, 4,231 (83.5%) sustained no injuries. A total of 823 individuals were either injured or killed, representing 16.2% of all persons involved. This includes 11 fatalities, 82 serious injuries, and 730 minor or possible injuries.

Shoulder and lap belts were the most commonly used safety equipment, reported for 4,204 vehicle occupants. However, 206 individuals were recorded as using no safety restraints at all. Child restraint systems, including forward-facing, rear-facing, and booster seats, were used by a total of 188 children.

The majority of crashes involved two vehicles, accounting for 1,428 incidents (59.6%). Single-vehicle crashes were also common, with 866 incidents, representing 36.1% of the total. Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less frequent, with 104 such events recorded in 2021.