690 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, crash data for Hocking County shows a total of 5 people were killed and 248 were injured. Among these, one pedestrian was killed and 6 were injured. The majority of casualties were motor vehicle occupants, with 4 motorists killed and 242 injured. No cyclists were reported killed or injured in crashes during this period.

Crash patterns in Hocking County during 2021 show a concentration during daytime hours. The most frequent day for crashes was Tuesday, with 113 incidents, and the peak hour was 2 p.m., which saw 53 crashes. A majority of collisions, 448 out of 690, occurred during daylight.

Of the 690 total crashes in Hocking County, the majority (73.3%, or 506 incidents) resulted in no injuries and were limited to property damage. The remaining crashes involved possible, minor, or serious injuries. There were 5 fatal crashes recorded, which resulted in a total of 5 fatalities.

The majority of crashes in Hocking County occurred in ideal driving conditions. Approximately 73% of crashes (502) happened on dry roads, 65% (448) in daylight, and 53% (364) in clear weather. Adverse conditions were present in a smaller fraction of incidents, with rain cited in 79 crashes and wet roads in 134 crashes.

Analysis of the 1,356 individuals involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 253 people. Among the 1,041 vehicles involved, passenger cars were the most common type, accounting for 472 vehicles. The most frequent vehicle makes recorded in crashes were Ford (164 vehicles), Chevrolet (157 vehicles), Honda (94 vehicles), and Toyota (92 vehicles).

Analysis of where crashes occurred shows that 409 incidents, or 59% of the total, had their first harmful event on the primary roadway. A significant portion, totaling 267 crashes (39%), were classified as run-off-road events, with the first harmful event occurring on the roadside, shoulder, or in the median.

The vast majority of vehicles involved in crashes were at locations with no traffic control devices, accounting for 815 vehicles. Vehicles at locations with traffic signals were involved in 134 instances, while those at stop signs were involved in 55. This indicates that most crashes occurred on road segments away from controlled intersections.

Among driver-related contributing factors, Unsafe Speed was the most frequently cited, attributed to 173 vehicles. The next most common factors were Following too Close / ACDA with 92 vehicles, Failure to Yield with 84 vehicles, and Drove off Road with 79 vehicles. These factors represent the primary driver actions leading to collisions.

Crashes involving commercial trucks accounted for 41 incidents, or approximately 5.9% of all crashes in Hocking County. Of these, 17 involved a semi-tractor trailer, while the remaining 24 involved other types of commercial vehicles.

In 2021, there were 27 crashes involving motorcyclists or vulnerable road users. This included 20 crashes with motorcyclists and 7 crashes involving pedestrians. Combined, crashes involving pedestrians accounted for approximately 1% of all incidents in the county.

Collisions with animals were a notable factor, accounting for 82 crashes, or nearly 12% of the total in Hocking County. The vast majority of these incidents, 80 crashes, involved collisions with deer, highlighting a significant hazard in the region.

Impairment was a factor in 36 crashes, representing 5.2% of all incidents. Of these, alcohol was suspected in 23 cases, drugs in 8 cases, and a combination of alcohol and drugs in 5 cases. These figures represent a baseline, as impairment may be under-reported in official crash records.

Beyond normal driving, specific driver states were noted in a fraction of cases. A total of 31 drivers were recorded as being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol. An additional 17 drivers were noted as having fallen asleep, fainted, or being fatigued at the time of their crash.

While most drivers were reported as not distracted, specific distractions were identified for 42 drivers. The most common issues were 'other distraction inside the vehicle' (17 drivers) and 'other distraction outside the vehicle' (16 drivers). Electronic device use was cited for 6 drivers.

Roadway geometry played a role in a significant number of crashes. Collisions on curves accounted for 253 incidents, or 37% of the total, while crashes on grades (either straight or curved) occurred in 262 instances (38%). Crashes on straight, level road segments accounted for 323 incidents.

The geographic distribution of crashes across Hocking County shows a concentration in a few key areas. The city of Logan recorded the most incidents with 202 crashes, followed by the townships of Falls (140) and Green (75). Together, these three jurisdictions accounted for over 60% of all crashes in the county.

The most common action by vehicles just prior to a crash was driving straight ahead, which was the case for 449 vehicles. The second most frequent pre-crash action was negotiating a curve, reported for 240 vehicles. A smaller but notable number of vehicles (94) were slowing or stopped in traffic before being involved in a collision.

The dominant crash type in Hocking County was single-vehicle incidents, categorized as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport', which accounted for 393 crashes or 57% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, rear-end collisions were the most frequent, with 97 incidents (14.1%), followed by angle collisions with 78 incidents (11.3%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 472 of the 1,041 total vehicles. Sport Utility Vehicles (245) and Pick-up trucks (182) were the next most frequent. Commercial vehicles, including single-unit trucks and semi-tractors, were involved in 37 instances.

Of the 1,356 people involved in crashes, the majority were drivers, accounting for 977 individuals or 72% of the total. Vehicle occupants (passengers) made up the next largest group with 372 individuals (27%). A small number of pedestrians were also involved, with 7 recorded in crash reports.

Across all 1,356 individuals involved in crashes, 1,081 people (80%) sustained no injuries. A total of 253 people were either injured or killed, representing nearly 19% of all participants. This includes 5 fatalities, 42 serious injuries, 127 minor injuries, and 79 possible injuries.

The majority of vehicle occupants, 1,049 individuals, were reported to be using a shoulder and lap belt at the time of their crash. However, 86 individuals were recorded as using no safety equipment. An additional 73 people used only a shoulder belt, and 9 used only a lap belt.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common type of incident, accounting for 365 crashes, or 53% of the total. Two-vehicle collisions were also frequent, with 304 incidents. The data also includes two larger multi-vehicle incidents: one involving five vehicles and another involving six vehicles.