1,613 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, all 10 traffic fatalities in Marion County were motorists. An additional 528 motorists were injured in crashes. While no pedestrians or cyclists were killed, 10 pedestrians sustained injuries during the reporting period.

Crash frequency in Marion County peaked during the weekday commute, with Thursday being the most common day for crashes (267 incidents) and the hour of 3 p.m. having the highest frequency (139 incidents). While a majority of crashes occurred during daylight (992 crashes), a significant number, 520 crashes, happened in dark conditions.

The majority of crashes, 1,216 incidents or 75.4%, resulted in no injuries. Injury-sustaining crashes accounted for 23.9% of the total, including 47 serious injury crashes. Ten crashes were fatal, which resulted in a total of 10 persons killed.

A majority of crashes occurred in favorable conditions, with 76.9% on dry roads (1,240 crashes) and 63.6% in clear weather (1,026 crashes). Crashes during daylight hours accounted for 61.5% of the total (992 incidents). Adverse conditions were also present, with 279 crashes on wet roads and 520 crashes occurring in darkness.

Among the 3,343 individuals involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 517 people. The most common vehicle makes involved in these incidents were Ford (430 vehicles), Chevrolet (425 vehicles), and Honda (322 vehicles).

The vast majority of crashes, 1,274 incidents, had their first harmful event occur on the roadway. However, a notable 320 crashes, or 19.8% of the total, were run-off-road events, occurring on the roadside, shoulder, median, or outside the trafficway.

Data on traffic control devices indicates that most vehicles were involved in crashes at locations with no control present (1,762 units). For comparison, 629 vehicles were involved in crashes at signalized locations, and 264 were at intersections controlled by a stop sign.

The most frequently cited contributing factor for drivers was 'Following too Close / ACDA,' noted in 278 instances. This was followed by 'Failure to Yield' with 204 instances and 'Drove off Road' with 193 instances.

Crashes involving commercial trucks accounted for 103 incidents, or 6.4% of all crashes. Of these, 71 involved a semi-tractor trailer, while the remaining 32 involved other types of commercial vehicles.

There were 61 total crashes involving motorcyclists, bicyclists, or pedestrians. Motorcyclists were involved in 37 crashes, while vulnerable road users included 14 bicyclists and 10 pedestrians.

Animal-related collisions were a significant factor, accounting for 248 crashes, or 15.4% of the total. The vast majority of these incidents, 236 crashes, involved deer.

Impairment was a factor in 92 crashes, representing 5.7% of the total. These incidents were nearly evenly split between alcohol (40 instances) and drugs (38 instances), with an additional 14 instances involving both.

Among drivers involved in crashes, 120 were noted to have a condition other than 'Apparently Normal'. This includes 77 drivers under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol, 16 with a physical impairment, and 15 who fell asleep or were fatigued.

Among drivers for whom a distraction was noted, the most common factor was 'Other distraction inside the vehicle,' with 68 instances. This was followed by 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (36 instances) and 'Other activity with an electronic device' (24 instances).

The vast majority of crashes (1,453) occurred on straight, level sections of roadway. However, 77 crashes (4.8% of total) occurred on curves, and 93 crashes (5.8% of total) occurred on grades.

The geographic distribution of crashes was heavily concentrated in the City of Marion, which accounted for 1,035 incidents, or 64.2% of the county's total. Other notable locations included the townships of Pleasant (94 crashes), Claridon (83 crashes), and Richland (66 crashes).

The most common action drivers were taking just before a crash was driving 'Straight Ahead,' which was reported for 1,554 vehicles. The next most frequent pre-crash actions were 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic' (325 vehicles) and 'Making Left Turn' (208 vehicles).

The most frequent type of crash was 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' accounting for 708 incidents or 43.9% of the total, which often indicates single-vehicle events. Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were most common (352 crashes, 21.8%), followed by rear-end collisions (270 crashes, 16.7%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 1,250 units, followed by Sport Utility Vehicles (628 units) and Pick-ups (390 units). Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors, single unit trucks, and cargo vans, were involved in 138 instances.

Of the 3,343 people involved in crashes, the majority were drivers (2,489 people, or 74.5%). Passengers accounted for 842 individuals (25.2%), and pedestrians made up a small fraction with 12 individuals (0.4%).

Among the 3,343 people involved in traffic incidents, 10 sustained fatal injuries and 538 sustained some level of injury. This means that approximately 16.4% of all persons involved were either injured or killed. The vast majority, 2,713 individuals, were not injured.

A significant number of individuals involved in crashes, 206 people, were reported as not using any safety equipment. In contrast, 2,719 individuals were recorded as using a shoulder and lap belt. An additional 152 individuals were using a child restraint system or booster seat.

Two-vehicle crashes were the most common scenario, accounting for 962 incidents or 59.6% of the total. Single-vehicle crashes were also frequent, with 599 incidents representing 37.1% of all crashes. Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, accounting for 52 incidents.