738 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

Motorists comprised the vast majority of individuals killed or injured in Gallia County crashes. In total, 7 motorists were killed and 251 were injured. During the same period, 2 pedestrians were injured, and no pedestrian or bicyclist fatalities were recorded.

Crash frequencies in Gallia County peaked on Fridays, which saw 138 incidents over the year. The single busiest hour for crashes was the 4 p.m. hour, with 63 recorded events. Overall, 60% of crashes (443) occurred during daylight hours, while 34% (254) happened in dark conditions.

The vast majority of crashes, 74.4% (549 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Injury-related crashes, including serious, minor, and possible injuries, constituted 24.8% of the total. In 2021, there were 6 fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 7 fatalities, indicating at least one crash involved multiple deaths.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 6 fatal crash events resulted in 7 persons killed.

Most crashes in Gallia County occurred in ideal driving conditions. Specifically, 62.6% of crashes (462) happened in clear weather, 77.6% (573) on dry road surfaces, and 60% (443) during daylight hours. Crashes in adverse conditions included 68 in rain and 118 on wet roads.

Among the 1,515 people involved in crashes, the most represented age groups were 26-34 years old (211 people) and 16-20 years old (208 people). Of the 1,116 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Chevrolet (223 vehicles), Ford (184), and Dodge (86). These were followed by Jeep (67) and Honda (58).

Analysis of the first harmful event's location shows that 465 crashes, or 63% of the total, occurred on the primary roadway. A significant portion, 230 crashes (31.2%), were classified as run-off-road events, with the first harmful event occurring on the roadside, shoulder, or in the median.

The majority of vehicles involved in crashes were at locations with no traffic controls present, accounting for 903 of the 1,116 vehicles in the dataset. Vehicles at locations with traffic signals were involved in 145 instances, and those at stop signs were involved in 56 instances.

Among driver-related contributing factors cited, unsafe speed was the most common, noted for 133 vehicles. This was followed by following too closely, which was a factor for 125 vehicles, and driving off the road, cited for 114 vehicles. Failure to yield was the fourth-most common factor, attributed to 73 vehicles.

A total of 66 commercial vehicles were involved in crashes in 2021. Of these, 36 were identified as semi-tractor trailers and 30 were classified as other types of commercial vehicles.

Crashes involved 15 vulnerable road users and motorcyclists. This total includes 13 motorcyclists and 2 pedestrians. No crashes involving bicyclists were recorded in the dataset for this period.

Animal-related collisions accounted for 100 crashes, representing 13.5% of all incidents in the county. The vast majority of these, 91 crashes, involved deer, while the remaining 9 involved other types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 63 crashes, or 8.5% of the total. Among these, alcohol was suspected in 25 cases, drugs in 21 cases, and a combination of alcohol and drugs in 17 cases.

Of the 1,064 drivers involved in crashes, 82 were noted as being in a non-normal physical or mental state. This includes 56 drivers suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs and 18 drivers who reportedly fell asleep, fainted, or were fatigued.

Among 1,064 drivers, 58 were identified as being distracted at the time of their crash. The most common cited issues were other distractions inside the vehicle (28 drivers) and distractions outside the vehicle (13 drivers). Manually operating an electronic communication device was noted for 8 drivers.

Road geometry played a role in a notable share of crashes. Collisions on curved sections of road accounted for 201 incidents (27.2% of total), while crashes on grades (inclines or declines) accounted for 216 incidents (29.3% of total). Crashes on straight, level roads were the most frequent, with 445 incidents.

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in a few key areas. The city of Gallipolis recorded the highest number of incidents with 241 crashes, representing 32.7% of the county's total. The townships of Green and Springfield followed, with 107 (14.5%) and 93 (12.6%) crashes, respectively.

The most common action for vehicles immediately prior to a crash was driving straight ahead, which accounted for 600 of the 1,116 vehicles involved (53.8%). The next most frequent pre-crash actions were negotiating a curve (171 vehicles, 15.3%) and slowing or stopping in traffic (128 vehicles, 11.5%).

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common type of incident, with 417 crashes (56.5%) classified as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport'. Among multi-vehicle collisions, rear-end crashes were the most frequent, accounting for 122 incidents (16.5%), followed closely by angle collisions with 118 incidents (16.0%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 455 of the 1,116 vehicles (40.8%). Sport Utility Vehicles (270 vehicles) and Pick-up trucks (226 vehicles) were the next most frequent types. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors and single-unit trucks, were involved in 61 instances.

The dataset includes 1,515 individuals involved in crashes. The majority of these were drivers, who accounted for 1,064 people (70.2% of the total). Vehicle occupants (passengers) represented another 449 people (29.6%), and 2 individuals were pedestrians.

Of the 1,515 people involved in crashes, 253 sustained some level of injury, representing 16.7% of all individuals. An additional 7 individuals, or 0.46% of the total, suffered fatal injuries. The majority of people involved, 1,230 individuals, were not injured.

Among 1,515 vehicle occupants and other participants, 1,234 were reported as using a shoulder and lap belt. A total of 84 individuals, or 5.5% of all persons involved, were recorded as using no safety equipment at the time of the crash.

The data shows a near-even split between single-vehicle and two-vehicle crashes. Single-vehicle crashes accounted for 50.7% of all incidents (374 crashes), while two-vehicle crashes made up 47.7% (352 crashes). Multi-vehicle incidents involving three or more vehicles were less common, with only 12 such crashes recorded.