978 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, all 5 fatalities and 332 of the 337 total injuries involved motorists. There were no pedestrians or cyclists killed in crashes. However, 5 pedestrians sustained injuries in collisions during this period.

Crashes occurred most frequently on Mondays, with 169 incidents reported, while the single busiest hour for crashes was the 4 p.m. hour with 72 events. Overall, a majority of collisions, 575 crashes or 58.8%, happened during daylight hours.

Of the 978 total crashes, 74.4% (728 incidents) resulted in no injuries, with the remainder involving a possible, minor, or serious injury. There were 4 fatal crashes recorded for the year. These 4 incidents resulted in a total of 5 fatalities.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 4 fatal crash events resulted in 5 persons killed.

The majority of crashes occurred in favorable conditions, with 61.9% happening in clear weather and 75% on dry road surfaces. Daylight conditions were present for 58.8% of all incidents. Crashes in adverse weather included 100 in rain and 37 in snow.

Among all persons involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 330 individuals. The vehicle makes most frequently involved in collisions were Ford with 238 vehicles, Chevrolet with 235, and Honda with 140.

The first harmful event in most crashes, 641 incidents, occurred on the roadway itself. However, a significant portion, 314 crashes (32.1%), were run-off-road events, with the first impact happening on the roadside, shoulder, median, or outside the trafficway.

Analysis of traffic controls at crash locations shows that a majority of involved vehicles (1,129 of 1,519) were in areas with no traffic control device present. Vehicles involved in crashes at signalized intersections accounted for 242 units, while 103 were at locations with a stop sign.

The most frequently cited contributing factors for drivers involved in crashes were driving off the road (214 units), following too closely (128 units), and failure to yield (113 units). Unsafe speed was also a significant factor, attributed to 109 vehicle operators.

A total of 97 commercial trucks were involved in crashes during this period. Of these, 66 were identified as semi-tractor trailers, while the remaining 31 were classified as other types of commercial vehicles.

Crashes involved 29 individuals classified as vulnerable road users or motorcyclists. This included 23 motorcyclists, 5 pedestrians, and 1 bicyclist. Combined, there were 6 crashes involving pedestrians or bicyclists.

There were 74 crashes involving animals, accounting for approximately 7.6% of all incidents in the county. The vast majority of these, 69 crashes, were collisions with deer, while an additional 5 crashes involved other types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 114 crashes, representing 11.7% of the total for the year. Among these, alcohol was cited in 65 incidents, drugs in 37, and a combination of both in 12. These figures represent a minimum baseline, as impairment can be under-reported.

Beyond 'Apparently Normal,' several adverse driver conditions were noted for the 1,438 drivers involved in crashes. The most common was being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol, which was recorded for 103 drivers. An additional 18 drivers were noted as having fallen asleep, fainted, or been fatigued.

Among 1,438 drivers, 59 were identified as being distracted at the time of their crash. The most cited issues were other distractions inside the vehicle (25 drivers) and outside the vehicle (17 drivers). Electronic devices were a factor for 17 drivers, including 6 who were manually operating a device.

Road geometry played a role in a substantial number of crashes. Nearly half of all incidents (48.3%) occurred on a grade, while 32.6% of crashes happened on a curve. Crashes on sections that were both curved and graded accounted for 214 of the total 978 incidents.

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in a few key areas. The city of Steubenville accounted for the largest share with 322 crashes (33.0% of the total). Island Creek followed with 173 crashes (17.7%), and Wintersville recorded 84 crashes (8.6%).

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was driving straight ahead, which accounted for 739 of 1,519 vehicles involved. The next most frequent actions were negotiating a curve (224 vehicles) and slowing or stopping in traffic (140 vehicles).

The dominant crash pattern was single-vehicle incidents, classified as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which comprised 51.4% of all crashes (503 incidents). Among multi-vehicle collisions, angle crashes were the most frequent type, accounting for 184 incidents or 18.8% of the total.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 663 of the 1,519 total vehicles (43.7%). Sport Utility Vehicles (389) and Pick up trucks (234) were the next most frequent. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors and single-unit trucks, accounted for 101 of the vehicles involved.

Of the 1,933 people involved in crashes, the vast majority were drivers (1,438 individuals, or 74.4%). Vehicle occupants, or passengers, accounted for another 490 people (25.3%). A small fraction, 5 individuals, were pedestrians.

Among the 1,933 individuals involved in collisions, 1,547 (80.0%) sustained no injuries. A total of 337 people were injured, representing 17.4% of all persons involved. Fatal injuries were recorded for 5 individuals, accounting for 0.26% of the total.

Safety equipment usage was documented for occupants involved in crashes. While 1,547 individuals were recorded as using a shoulder and lap belt, 122 people were recorded as using no restraint system at all. This group accounts for 6.3% of all persons involved in crashes.

The crashes were almost evenly split between single-vehicle and two-vehicle incidents. Single-vehicle crashes accounted for 473 events (48.4% of the total), while two-vehicle collisions numbered 474. An additional 31 crashes involved three or more vehicles.