843 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, vehicle motorists accounted for all 4 fatalities and the vast majority of injuries, with 314 motorists injured. There were no cyclist fatalities or injuries reported. Three pedestrians were injured in crashes, but no pedestrian fatalities occurred during this period.

Crash occurrences in Fayette County peaked on Thursdays, with 134 incidents recorded in 2021. The most frequent time for crashes was the 3 p.m. hour, which saw 70 collisions. Overall, crashes were most common during daylight hours, with 516 incidents (61.2%) occurring in daylight, and a pronounced peak during the afternoon from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The majority of crashes in 2021, 73.4% (619 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Injury-sustaining crashes accounted for 26.1% of the total, comprising 22 serious injury, 112 minor injury, and 86 possible injury crashes. There were 4 fatal crashes recorded, which resulted in a total of 4 fatalities.

The vast majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions, with 72.1% happening in clear weather and 80.2% on dry road surfaces. Daylight conditions were present for 61.2% of all incidents. Adverse weather was a factor in a minority of cases, with 68 crashes occurring during rain and 25 during snow.

Analysis of the 1,835 people involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 278 individuals. Among the 1,358 vehicles involved, passenger cars were most common (578), followed by sport utility vehicles (317). The most frequently recorded vehicle makes were Chevrolet (235 vehicles), Ford (212 vehicles), and Toyota (99 vehicles).

The initial point of impact for most crashes (616 incidents) occurred on the primary roadway. However, a notable 25.1% of crashes (212 incidents) were run-off-road events, where the first harmful event took place on the roadside, shoulder, median, or outside the trafficway. Specifically, 113 crashes occurred on the roadside and 67 occurred outside the trafficway.

The majority of vehicles involved in crashes were at locations with no traffic control, accounting for 983 vehicles. Crashes at signalized intersections involved 206 vehicles, while those at intersections with stop signs involved 155 vehicles. Overall, 72.5% of vehicles in crashes were at locations without active traffic controls.

The most common contributing factor cited for drivers was 'Drove off Road,' which was noted in 171 instances. This was followed by 'Following too Close / ACDA' with 131 citations and 'Failure to Yield' with 121. Together, these three factors account for a significant portion of all documented driver actions leading to collisions.

Crashes involving commercial trucks accounted for 85 incidents, or 10.1% of all crashes in 2021. Among these, semi-tractor trailers were the most common type, involved in 66 crashes. The remaining 19 incidents involved other types of commercial vehicles.

There were 19 crashes involving vulnerable road users or motorcyclists. Of these, 11 involved a motorcyclist, 5 involved a bicyclist, and 3 involved a pedestrian. Combined, crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists accounted for 8 incidents, representing just under 1% of all crashes.

Collisions with animals were a factor in 113 crashes, making up 13.4% of the total for the year. The vast majority of these incidents, 104 crashes, involved deer. An additional 9 crashes were attributed to collisions with other types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 37 crashes, representing 4.4% of all collisions in 2021. Alcohol was the most frequently cited substance, involved in 24 incidents. Drug impairment was noted in 10 crashes, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was a factor in 3 crashes.

While most drivers were recorded as 'Apparently Normal,' specific adverse conditions were noted for 64 drivers, or 5.1% of the total. The most common conditions were driving under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol (29 drivers) and falling asleep, fainting, or being fatigued (24 drivers). Other noted conditions included emotional distress and illness.

Among all drivers, 56 were identified as being distracted at the time of their crash. The most cited issues were 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' (20 drivers) and 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (16 drivers). Manually operating an electronic device like texting or dialing was a factor for 13 drivers.

The majority of crashes, 731 incidents, occurred on straight and level road segments. However, roadway geometry played a role in some collisions, with 75 crashes (8.9%) happening on curves and 52 crashes (6.2%) occurring on grades. Crashes on segments with both a curve and a grade accounted for 15 incidents.

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in a few key areas, with Washington Court House accounting for the largest share at 269 crashes (31.9% of the total). Union followed with 163 crashes (19.3%), and Jefferson recorded 130 crashes (15.4%). These three municipalities represent the locations for over two-thirds of all crashes in the county.

Analysis of vehicle actions prior to collision shows that the majority of vehicles, 883 or 65.0%, were proceeding straight ahead. The second most common pre-crash action was slowing or stopping in traffic, which was the case for 124 vehicles (9.1%). Making a left turn was the third most frequent action, recorded for 97 vehicles.

Nearly half of all crashes (410 incidents, or 48.6%) were not collisions between two vehicles in transport, indicating a high rate of single-vehicle incidents. Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were the most frequent type, accounting for 191 crashes (22.7%). Rear-end collisions were the next most common, with 136 incidents (16.1%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 578 units recorded, followed by Sport Utility Vehicles (317) and Pick-up trucks (217). Commercial vehicles, including 71 semi-tractors and 15 single-unit trucks, were also present in the data. There were 11 motorcycles and 5 bicycles involved in crashes during this period.

Of the 1,835 individuals involved in crashes, the majority were drivers, accounting for 1,267 people (69.0%). Vehicle occupants (passengers) made up the next largest group with 565 individuals (30.8%). A small number of non-motorists were involved, including 3 pedestrians.

Across all 1,835 people involved in crashes, 317 individuals sustained some level of injury, representing 17.3% of the total. This includes 24 serious injuries, 158 minor injuries, and 135 possible injuries. Four individuals suffered fatal injuries, accounting for 0.2% of all persons involved.

The majority of vehicle occupants, 1,497 individuals, were reported as using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 131 people involved in crashes were recorded as using no safety equipment, representing 7.2% of occupants for whom restraint use was documented. Child restraint systems were used by 85 children, including forward-facing, rear-facing, and booster seats.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common scenario, accounting for 454 crashes (53.9%). Single-vehicle crashes were also frequent, with 361 incidents representing 42.8% of the total. Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, though there were two incidents involving five vehicles each.