671 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

Motorists comprised the vast majority of those killed or injured in crashes, with 7 fatalities and 287 injuries. One pedestrian was killed and four were injured in separate incidents. No bicyclists were killed or injured during this period.

Crash frequencies in Holmes County peaked on Fridays, which saw a total of 130 incidents over the year. The single most common time for a crash was the 5 p.m. hour, with 63 occurrences. While the majority of crashes (67.8%) happened during daylight hours, a substantial number of incidents (159) occurred in darkness on unlit roadways.

Of the 671 total crashes, 69.2% (464 incidents) resulted in no injuries, involving only property damage. The remaining 30.8% of crashes involved some level of injury or a fatality. There were 8 fatal crashes recorded during this period, which resulted in a total of 8 fatalities.

The majority of crashes occurred in favorable conditions, with 60.2% happening in clear weather and 80.5% on dry road surfaces. Similarly, 67.8% of all incidents took place during daylight hours. Crashes in adverse conditions included 44 in rain and 43 in snow, while 82 crashes occurred on wet roads and 159 took place on unlit roads after dark.

Among the 1,672 people involved in crashes, the most represented age groups were 0-15 years old (255 individuals), 26-34 years old (224 individuals), and 16-20 years old (221 individuals). Of the 1,082 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Chevrolet and Ford, each with 197 vehicles. These were followed by Honda with 89 vehicles and Toyota with 65 vehicles.

Analysis of the initial crash location shows that 69.1% of incidents (464 crashes) occurred on the roadway itself. A significant portion, 30.2% or 203 crashes, were run-off-road events where the first harmful event happened on the shoulder (67), roadside (83), or outside the trafficway (53).

The vast majority of vehicles involved in collisions were at locations with no traffic control device present, accounting for 920 of the 1,082 vehicles in the dataset. By comparison, 93 vehicles were involved in crashes at locations with a stop sign and 61 were at intersections with a traffic signal.

Among driver-related actions cited as contributing to crashes, the most common was unsafe speed, noted for 152 vehicles. This was followed by following too closely, which was a factor for 146 vehicles, and failure to yield, cited in 105 instances.

Crashes involving commercial trucks accounted for 47 incidents, or approximately 7.0% of all crashes. Of these, 28 involved a semi-tractor trailer and 19 involved other types of commercial vehicles.

A total of 34 crashes involved vulnerable road users or motorcyclists. These included 16 crashes with motorcyclists, 13 with bicyclists, and 5 with pedestrians. Combined, crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists, who are considered the most vulnerable road users, totaled 18 incidents.

Collisions with animals were a factor in 63 crashes, representing 9.4% of the total for the year. The majority of these incidents, 45 crashes, involved deer. An additional 18 crashes involved other types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 24 crashes, or 3.6% of all incidents. Alcohol was involved in 20 of these crashes, a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 3, and drugs alone were a factor in 1 crash.

Excluding drivers noted as 'Apparently Normal,' specific adverse conditions were recorded for 30 of the 1,058 drivers. These included 14 drivers under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol, 5 who were ill, 5 with a physical impairment, and 4 who reportedly fell asleep or were fatigued.

Among 1,058 drivers, 61 were identified as being distracted at the time of the crash. The most common cited distractions were an event or object inside the vehicle (23 drivers) or outside the vehicle (18 drivers). Additionally, 18 drivers were distracted by some form of electronic device, including 5 who were manually operating one.

Road geometry played a role in a significant number of crashes. Over 43% of incidents (291 crashes) occurred on a grade, either straight or curved. Additionally, nearly 21% of crashes (140 incidents) took place on a curve.

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in several key areas. The top three locations were Berlin with 98 crashes (14.6% of the total), Millersburg with 83 crashes (12.4%), and Paint township with 70 crashes (10.4%).

The most common pre-crash action for the 1,082 vehicles involved was driving straight ahead, which accounted for 628 vehicles (58.0%). The second most frequent action was slowing or stopping in traffic, reported for 177 vehicles (16.4%).

Nearly half of all crashes (49.6%) were single-vehicle incidents, categorized as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport' (333 crashes). The most common type of multi-vehicle collision was a rear-end crash, which accounted for 140 incidents or 20.9% of the total.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 329 units, followed by 281 sport utility vehicles and 232 pickup trucks. Combined, these three vehicle types accounted for 77.8% of all vehicles in collisions.

Of the 1,672 individuals involved in crashes, the majority were either drivers (1,058 people, or 63.3%) or vehicle occupants (609 people, or 36.4%). A small fraction were pedestrians, who accounted for 5 of the individuals involved.

Among the 1,672 people involved in crashes, 8 sustained fatal injuries and 291 suffered non-fatal injuries. The breakdown of non-fatal injuries includes 30 serious injuries, 130 minor injuries, and 131 possible injuries. The vast majority of individuals, 1,345 people, were not injured.

A total of 215 individuals, or 12.9% of all people involved in crashes, were recorded as not using any safety equipment. The most commonly used form of protection was a shoulder and lap belt, which was utilized by 1,242 people.

The majority of crashes, 354 incidents (52.8%), involved two vehicles. Single-vehicle crashes were also very common, with 289 incidents representing 43.1% of the total. Multi-vehicle pileups were rare, with only 27 crashes involving three vehicles and one crash involving four.