1,034 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, all 4 traffic fatalities in Fulton County were motorists. Additionally, 401 motorists sustained injuries. Four pedestrians were injured in crashes, but there were no pedestrian fatalities. The data recorded no fatalities or injuries for cyclists during this period.

Crash analysis by time reveals specific patterns throughout the week and day. Tuesdays saw the highest number of crashes with 178 incidents, making it the peak day of the week. The single busiest hour for crashes was between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., which recorded 77 incidents. While crashes occurred throughout the 24-hour period, a slight majority of 562 crashes (54.3%) happened during daylight hours.

Of the 1,034 total crashes, 773 (74.8%) were property-damage-only incidents with no reported injuries. The remaining 261 crashes involved at least one injury, with 36 classified as serious injury crashes and 135 as minor injury crashes. There were 3 separate crash events that resulted in fatalities, which collectively led to the deaths of 4 individuals.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 3 fatal crash events resulted in 4 persons killed.

A majority of crashes in 2021 occurred under ideal environmental conditions. Specifically, 688 crashes (66.5%) happened in clear weather, and 815 (78.8%) occurred on dry road surfaces. Crashes during daylight hours accounted for 562 incidents (54.3%). In contrast, 85 crashes were reported during rain, 37 during snow, and 394 took place in dark conditions.

Analysis of the 2,049 people involved in crashes shows that the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 318 individuals. The 16-20 and 35-44 age groups also had high involvement, with 267 and 277 people respectively. Among the 1,553 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Chevrolet with 315 vehicles, Ford with 234 vehicles, and Dodge with 132 vehicles.

Analysis of the crash location shows that the vast majority of incidents, 811 crashes (78.4%), had their first harmful event occur on the main roadway. However, a significant number of incidents were run-off-road events, with 126 crashes (12.2%) occurring on the roadside, 43 (4.2%) on the shoulder, and 39 (3.8%) outside the designated trafficway.

The data indicates that the majority of crashes happened at locations without traffic controls. A total of 1,233 vehicles were involved in crashes at locations with 'No Control'. For comparison, 184 vehicles were in crashes near a stop sign, and 131 were at locations with a traffic signal.

Among driver actions cited as contributing factors, 'Following too Close / ACDA' was the most common, noted for 161 vehicles. 'Failure to Yield' was the second-leading factor with 140 instances, followed closely by 'Drove off Road' with 139 instances. 'Unsafe Speed' was also a significant factor, attributed to 60 vehicles involved in crashes.

Commercial trucks were involved in 138 crashes in 2021, accounting for 13.3% of all crashes in Fulton County. Of these, the majority involved semi-tractor-trailers, which were present in 114 incidents. The remaining 24 crashes involved other types of commercial vehicles.

In 2021, there were 23 crashes involving vulnerable road users or motorcyclists. Motorcyclists were involved in 17 of these incidents. Crashes involving pedestrians occurred 4 times, while bicyclist-involved crashes occurred twice, for a combined total of 6 incidents involving vulnerable road users.

A significant portion of crashes in Fulton County involved animals, totaling 278 incidents or 26.9% of all crashes. The vast majority of these were strikes with deer, which accounted for 262 of the animal-related crashes. An additional 16 crashes involved other types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 59 crashes, representing 5.7% of the total for the year. Alcohol was the most cited substance, involved in 42 incidents. Drugs were a factor in 13 crashes, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 4 crashes. These figures represent a baseline, as impairment can be under-reported.

While most drivers were recorded as 'Apparently Normal', several non-normal driver conditions were noted. A total of 46 drivers were identified as being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol. An additional 23 drivers were reported to have fallen asleep, fainted, or been fatigued at the time of their crash.

Among the 1,515 drivers involved in crashes, a specific distraction was identified for 68 of them. The most common identified distractions were non-specific, with 24 drivers distracted by something outside the vehicle and 23 by something inside. Manually operating an electronic communication device, such as texting, was noted for 11 drivers.

The geometry of the road was primarily straight and level for most crashes, accounting for 879 incidents (85.0%). However, 119 crashes (11.5%) occurred on a grade, whether straight or curved. A smaller but notable number of crashes, 63 in total (6.1%), occurred on curved sections of road.

The geographic distribution of crashes within Fulton County was concentrated in a few key areas. The city of Wauseon recorded the highest number of incidents with 130, representing 12.6% of the county's total. The township of German followed with 120 crashes (11.6%), and Clinton township had the third-highest volume with 96 crashes (9.3%).

Examining what vehicles were doing just before a collision reveals common patterns. The most frequent pre-crash action for the 1,553 vehicles involved was 'Straight Ahead,' with 1,030 instances. The second most common action was 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic,' which was the case for 181 vehicles, often a precursor to rear-end collisions.

The most frequent type of crash was a single-vehicle incident, categorized as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which accounted for 590 crashes or 57.1% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were the most common, with 182 incidents (17.6%). This was followed by rear-end collisions, which occurred 155 times (15.0%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 546 of the 1,553 total vehicles. Sport Utility Vehicles were the second most frequent with 415 vehicles, followed by 295 pickup trucks. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors and single-unit trucks, were involved in 168 instances, making up 10.8% of the vehicles.

A total of 2,049 individuals were involved in traffic crashes in 2021. The majority of these individuals, 1,515 people or 73.9%, were drivers. Passengers, or occupants, made up the next largest group with 530 individuals (25.9%). A small number of involved persons, 4 in total, were pedestrians.

Of the 2,049 people involved in crashes, 409 sustained some level of injury or were killed, representing 20.0% of all participants. This total includes 4 fatalities, 39 serious injuries, 202 minor injuries, and 164 possible injuries. The remaining 1,626 individuals were not injured.

Restraint use was reported for most vehicle occupants, with 1,747 individuals using both a shoulder and lap belt. However, 106 people, or 5.2% of those with reported data, were recorded as using no safety equipment at all. An additional 74 individuals were using child restraint systems or booster seats.

The data shows a near-even split between single-vehicle and two-vehicle crashes. Single-vehicle crashes were slightly more common, with 540 incidents, making up 52.2% of the total. Two-vehicle collisions accounted for another 472 incidents, or 45.6% of all crashes. Multi-vehicle crashes involving three or more vehicles were less frequent, with only 22 such events.