990 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, motorists accounted for all fatalities and the vast majority of injuries in Madison County crashes. A total of 2 motorists were killed and 443 were injured. While no pedestrians or cyclists were killed, 7 pedestrians sustained injuries. No cyclists were reported as injured.

Crash occurrences in Madison County peaked on Thursdays, with 167 incidents reported. The afternoon commute was the most frequent time for crashes, with the 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. hours each recording 79 crashes. Overall, crashes were most common in daylight, which accounted for 558 of the 990 total incidents.

The majority of crashes in Madison County, 68.2% (675 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Injury-sustaining crashes accounted for 31.6% of the total, distributed among serious (4.5%), minor (16.3%), and possible injuries (10.8%). There were 2 fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 2 fatalities.

The vast majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions, with 75.9% of incidents happening on dry roads (751 crashes) and 58.3% in clear weather (577 crashes). Crashes during daylight hours accounted for 56.4% of the total (558 incidents). Adverse conditions were less frequent, with 83 crashes occurring in rain and 147 on wet road surfaces.

Analysis of the 2,074 persons involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 333 individuals. Among the 1,575 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Ford (233 vehicles), Chevrolet (226 vehicles), and Honda (179 vehicles). Passenger Cars were the most common vehicle type, accounting for 684 units.

The initial harmful event in 665 crashes (67.2%) occurred on the roadway. A notable portion of incidents, 286 crashes or 28.9%, were run-off-road events where the first impact happened on the roadside (161), shoulder (90), or in the median (35).

The majority of vehicles involved in crashes were at locations with no traffic control device, accounting for 1,262 units. Crashes at locations with traffic signals involved 140 vehicles, while those at stop signs involved 146 vehicles. Locations with roundabouts were associated with 7 vehicles in crashes.

Among driver-related contributing factors, 'Drove off Road' was the most frequently cited, attributed to 232 units. This was followed by 'Following too Close / ACDA' with 137 citations and 'Failure to Yield' with 111. 'Unsafe Speed' (64) and 'Improper Lane Change' (61) were also commonly recorded factors.

Crashes involving commercial trucks were documented in at least 177 incidents in Madison County. Of these, 143 involved a semi-tractor trailer, while 34 involved other types of commercial vehicles. This represents a significant category, with semi-tractors alone accounting for 160 of all vehicles in crashes.

A total of 20 crashes involved vulnerable road users or motorcyclists. This included 13 crashes with motorcyclists, 6 with pedestrians, and 1 with a bicyclist. Combined, crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists, the most vulnerable road users, totaled 7 incidents.

Collisions with animals were a factor in 73 crashes, representing 7.4% of the total incidents in the county. The vast majority of these, 71 crashes, involved deer. Collisions with other animals were recorded in just 2 incidents.

Impairment was a suspected factor in 89 crashes, accounting for 9.0% of all incidents. Among these, alcohol was the sole factor in 47 cases, drugs were the sole factor in 28 cases, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was suspected in 14 cases. These figures represent a minimum, as impairment can be under-reported.

Beyond normal driving conditions, several driver conditions were noted among the 1,500 drivers involved in crashes. Being 'Under the Influence of Medications / Drugs / Alcohol' was recorded for 65 drivers. Additionally, 29 drivers were noted as having 'Fell Asleep; Fainted; Fatigued,' while physical impairment or illness was cited for a combined 19 drivers.

Driver distraction was identified as a factor for at least 90 drivers. The most common issues were general distractions from inside the vehicle (32 drivers) or outside the vehicle (25 drivers). Electronic device use was a factor for at least 25 drivers, including 15 who were manually operating a device like texting or dialing.

While most crashes (745) occurred on straight, level sections of road, road geometry was a factor in a notable number of incidents. Crashes on curves accounted for 116 incidents (11.7% of total), while crashes on grades accounted for 178 incidents (18.0%). Specifically, 51 crashes occurred on roads that were both curved and graded.

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in a few key areas of the county. The township of Jefferson saw the highest volume with 193 crashes, representing 19.5% of the county's total. Deer Creek township followed with 163 crashes (16.5%), and the city of London had 97 crashes (9.8%).

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was 'Straight Ahead,' accounting for 992 of the 1,575 vehicles involved (63.0%). The second most frequent action was 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic,' which was the status of 160 vehicles (10.2%) prior to collision. 'Making Left Turn' was the third most common maneuver, recorded for 84 vehicles.

The most common type of crash was a single-vehicle event, categorized as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which accounted for 526 incidents or 53.1% of all crashes. Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were the most frequent type with 169 incidents (17.1%), followed closely by rear-end collisions with 158 incidents (16.0%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 684 units making up 43.4% of the total. Sport Utility Vehicles (317 units) and Pick-up trucks (226 units) were the next most frequent. Commercial vehicles were also notable, including 160 semi-tractors and 33 single-unit trucks.

Of the 2,074 people involved in crashes, the vast majority were drivers, accounting for 1,500 individuals (72.3%). Passengers (occupants) made up the next largest group with 567 individuals (27.3%). A small fraction, 7 individuals (0.3%), were pedestrians.

Examining the outcomes for all 2,074 individuals involved, 1,576 people (76.0%) sustained no injuries. A total of 452 people were either injured or killed, representing 21.8% of all persons involved. This includes 2 fatalities, 57 serious injuries, 230 minor injuries, and 163 possible injuries.

Among the 2,074 people involved in crashes, 1,662 were reported as using a shoulder and lap belt. A total of 156 individuals, or 7.5% of all participants, were recorded as using no safety equipment at all. An additional 75 individuals were using child restraint systems of various types.

The crashes were almost evenly split between single-vehicle and two-vehicle incidents. Single-vehicle crashes accounted for 471 events (47.6% of the total), while two-vehicle crashes accounted for 466 events (47.1%). Crashes involving three or more units were less common, comprising only 5.3% of the total.