1,116 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, all 5 fatalities and the vast majority of injuries (346 out of 347) were sustained by motorists. One pedestrian was injured in a crash during this period. There were no recorded fatalities or injuries involving bicyclists.

Crash frequency in Knox County peaked on Fridays, which saw 171 incidents over the year. The single busiest hour for crashes was the 5 p.m. evening commute, with 85 crashes recorded. Despite these peaks, a majority of collisions, 688 out of 1,116 (61.7%), occurred during daylight hours.

The majority of crashes were property-damage-only, with 77.4% (864 incidents) resulting in no injuries. The remaining 22.6% of crashes involved at least one injury. There were 5 fatal crashes recorded, which resulted in a total of 5 fatalities, indicating one death per fatal crash.

A substantial majority of crashes occurred under favorable environmental conditions. Specifically, 77.6% of crashes took place on dry roads, 61.7% happened in daylight, and 53.5% were in clear weather. Adverse conditions were less frequent, with 83 crashes occurring during rain and 56 crashes during snow.

Among the 2,283 people involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 346 individuals. The 16-20 age group followed closely with 333 individuals. Of the 1,730 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Ford (298 vehicles), Chevrolet (293 vehicles), and Honda (168 vehicles).

The initial point of impact for most crashes (834, or 74.7%) was on the roadway itself. However, a significant portion of incidents were run-off-road events, with 232 crashes (20.8%) having their first harmful event occur on the roadside, shoulder, or in the median, indicating a loss of vehicle control.

Analysis of the 1,730 vehicles involved in crashes shows that the majority were at locations without traffic controls. Specifically, 1,380 vehicles, or 79.8%, were in crashes where no traffic control device was present. In contrast, 202 vehicles (11.7%) were involved in crashes at locations with a traffic signal.

Among contributing factors cited for drivers, driving off the road was the most common with 185 instances. This was followed by following too closely, which was a factor for 162 vehicles, and failure to yield, cited for 145 vehicles. These three actions represent the most frequent driver errors leading to crashes.

A total of 42 commercial vehicles were involved in crashes in Knox County in 2021. This included 29 semi-tractor trailers and 13 other types of commercial vehicles. These incidents represent a category with potential for high severity due to vehicle size and weight.

In total, 23 crashes involved motorcyclists or vulnerable road users. Motorcyclists were the most frequently involved group with 20 incidents. Crashes also involved 2 bicyclists and 1 pedestrian.

Collisions with animals accounted for 215 crashes, representing 19.3% of all incidents in the county. The vast majority of these, 202 crashes, were strikes involving deer. An additional 13 crashes involved other, unspecified animals.

Impairment was a factor in 57 crashes, which constitutes 5.1% of the total for the year. Of these, alcohol was involved in 46 incidents, a combination of alcohol and drugs in 7, and drugs alone in 4. These figures represent a minimum count, as impairment can be under-reported.

Excluding drivers deemed 'Apparently Normal', 89 drivers were recorded with a specific adverse condition. The most cited condition was being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol (50 drivers). Other noted conditions included fatigue or falling asleep (19 drivers) and emotional distress (8 drivers).

Among drivers for whom a distraction was noted, 52 were engaged in a distracting activity. The most common were general distractions from outside the vehicle (18 drivers) or inside the vehicle (14 drivers). Notably, 7 drivers were recorded as manually operating an electronic communication device like a phone.

Road geometry played a role in a significant number of crashes. In total, 397 crashes (35.6%) occurred on a grade, while 141 crashes (12.6%) took place on a curve. These conditions can increase the complexity of the driving task and elevate crash risk.

The geographic distribution of crashes within Knox County was concentrated in certain areas. The City of Mount Vernon saw the highest number of incidents, with 363 crashes, accounting for 32.5% of the county's total. The townships of Howard (64 crashes) and Monroe (62 crashes) had the next highest volumes.

Of the 1,730 vehicles involved in crashes, a majority (1,181 vehicles or 68.3%) were traveling straight ahead prior to the collision. The next most common pre-crash actions were slowing or stopped in traffic (115 vehicles) and negotiating a curve (104 vehicles).

Single-vehicle crashes were the predominant type of collision, with 575 incidents (51.5%) not involving another vehicle in transport. Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were the most frequent, accounting for 226 crashes (20.3%), followed by rear-end collisions with 160 crashes (14.3%).

Passenger cars were the most common type of vehicle involved in crashes, with 778 units, followed by Sport Utility Vehicles with 437 units. Together, these two vehicle types constituted 70.2% of the 1,730 vehicles involved in collisions during this period.

Of the 2,283 individuals involved in traffic crashes, the majority were drivers (1,669 people, or 73.1%). Passengers, or occupants, made up the next largest group with 612 individuals (26.8%). A small fraction of those involved were pedestrians (2 people).

Among the 2,269 people with a recorded injury status, 15.5% (352 individuals) sustained some level of injury. This included 5 fatalities, 34 serious injuries, and 223 minor injuries. The majority of people involved in crashes, 1,917 individuals, were not injured.

Analysis of safety equipment usage shows that while a majority of occupants were restrained, 152 individuals (6.7% of all people involved) were recorded as using no safety equipment at all. Another 158 individuals had unknown restraint usage. The most common restraint used was a shoulder and lap belt, reported for 1,843 people.

The distribution of crashes was almost evenly divided between single-vehicle and two-vehicle incidents. There were 540 single-vehicle crashes (48.4% of total) and 542 two-vehicle crashes (48.6% of total). Multi-vehicle crashes involving three or more units were less common, with 34 such incidents recorded.