63 CRASHES IN
FULTON, OH
2021

In Fulton during 2021, there were no fatalities reported for pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists. A total of 26 motorists sustained injuries in crashes. There were no reported injuries for pedestrians or cyclists.

Crashes in Fulton occurred most frequently on Fridays, with 13 incidents reported, followed by Tuesdays and Saturdays, each with 12 crashes. The peak hour for crashes was 7 AM, with 8 occurrences. Crashes in dark conditions (26) were nearly as frequent as those in daylight (27) during the year.

Of the 63 crashes in Fulton, 49 (77.8%) resulted in no injuries. There were 14 injury crashes, with 2 incidents involving serious injuries, 7 minor injuries, and 5 possible injuries. No fatal crashes were recorded, meaning no persons were killed in traffic incidents during this period.

The majority of crashes in Fulton occurred under clear weather conditions (44 crashes) and on dry road surfaces (52 crashes). Daylight was the lighting condition for 27 crashes, while 24 crashes occurred in dark conditions on unlighted roadways. Adverse conditions such as rain, snow, or wet/icy roads accounted for 11 crashes.

Among the 83 vehicles involved in crashes, passenger cars were the most frequent type with 21 vehicles, followed closely by sport utility vehicles (19) and pickup trucks (18). Chevrolet was the most common vehicle make involved, with 11 vehicles, followed by Freightliner (10) and Ford (9). Among persons involved, the 26-34 age group was most represented with 21 individuals.

A significant portion of crashes, 36.5% (23 out of 63), occurred outside the main travel lanes, specifically on the roadside (12 crashes), on the shoulder (8 crashes), or in the median (3 crashes). The largest share of crashes, 35 incidents, occurred on the roadway itself. An additional 4 crashes occurred entirely outside the trafficway.

Among vehicles involved in crashes, 74 were at locations with no traffic control present. Nine vehicles were involved in crashes at locations controlled by a stop sign. This indicates that most crashes occurred at uncontrolled intersections or road segments.

The most frequently cited improper action contributing to crashes was 'Drove off Road', accounting for 21 instances among drivers. 'Following too Close / ACDA' was noted for 6 drivers, and 'Failure to Yield' for 5 drivers. These represent the leading human factors identified in crash causation.

Commercial vehicles were involved in 15 instances, with 14 being semi-tractor trailers and 1 being another type of commercial vehicle. These commercial vehicles constituted 18.1% of all vehicles involved in crashes. This highlights the presence of heavy vehicles in the crash data.

Animal-related crashes accounted for 13 incidents, representing 20.6% of all crashes. Of these, 12 involved deer, while 1 involved another type of animal. Deer strikes are a notable hazard in the area.

Ten drivers were noted to have abnormal conditions at the time of their crash, excluding 'Apparently Normal' or 'Other/Unknown'. Six drivers were reported as 'Under the Influence of Medications / Drugs / Alcohol', and four drivers were categorized as having 'Fell Asleep; Fainted; Fatigued; etc.'.

Only one instance of driver distraction was specifically identified as 'Manually operating an electronic communication device (texting; typing; dialing)'. This specific distraction accounted for a small fraction of all drivers involved in crashes. The majority of drivers were not reported as distracted.

The vast majority of crashes, 60 out of 63, occurred on straight, level road alignments. Only 3 crashes occurred on alignments that were either curved (1 crash on a curve level) or graded (2 crashes on a straight grade).

The most common pre-crash action reported by drivers was 'Straight Ahead', accounting for 68 instances. 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic' was the second most frequent action, with 4 drivers. 'Changing Lanes' was reported by 3 drivers immediately before a crash.

The dominant manner of collision was 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport', accounting for 49 (77.8%) of the 63 crashes. 'Angle' and 'Rear-end' collisions each occurred 6 times, representing 9.5% of crashes. 'Sideswipe; same direction' collisions occurred twice.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 21 vehicles. Sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks followed closely, with 19 and 18 vehicles respectively. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors and single unit trucks, accounted for 19 vehicles, representing 22.9% of all vehicles involved.

Drivers constituted the largest group of persons involved in crashes, with 81 individuals, making up 71.1% of all persons. Occupants accounted for 33 individuals, or 28.9% of the total. No pedestrians or cyclists were involved in crashes during this period.

Among all 114 persons involved in crashes, 26 sustained injuries, representing 22.8% of individuals. Two persons suffered serious injuries, 17 had minor injuries, and 7 had possible injuries. No fatalities were recorded among persons involved.

For persons with reported safety equipment use, 99 individuals used 'Shoulder and Lap Belt'. A small number, 3 persons, were reported as using 'None Used'. This indicates a high rate of seatbelt usage among those for whom data was available.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common type, accounting for 43 (68.3%) of the 63 total crashes. The remaining 20 crashes (31.7%) involved two vehicles. There were no crashes involving more than two vehicles.