2,916 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

Motorists accounted for the largest group of casualties, with 12 fatalities and 962 injuries reported in 2021. Crashes also resulted in 3 pedestrian fatalities and 11 pedestrian injuries. There were no cyclist fatalities or injuries recorded in the data for this period.

Crash occurrences in Medina County peaked on Fridays, with 460 incidents recorded for the year. The single busiest hour for crashes was the 4 p.m. hour, with 255 events, part of a broader afternoon peak between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. A majority of crashes, 1,978 out of 2,916, occurred during daylight hours.

The majority of crashes in Medina County, 75.7% (2,207 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Injury-involved crashes, including serious, minor, and possible injuries, accounted for 23.8% of the total. There were 14 distinct fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 15 fatalities.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 14 fatal crash events resulted in 15 persons killed.

The vast majority of crashes occurred in ideal conditions, with 78.3% on dry roads (2,283 crashes) and 67.8% during daylight hours (1,978 crashes). Clear weather was reported for 1,631 incidents. Crashes in adverse conditions included 246 in rain and 172 in snow, while 467 crashes occurred on wet road surfaces.

An analysis of persons involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 990 individuals. The most common vehicle makes involved in crashes were Ford (775 vehicles), Chevrolet (734 vehicles), and Honda (407 vehicles).

The initial harmful event for most crashes, 2,404 incidents, occurred on the primary roadway. A notable portion, 441 crashes (15.1%), were run-off-road events, with the first impact happening on the roadside (279), shoulder (131), or in the median (31).

The most common traffic control scenario for crashes was the absence of any control device, which was noted in 3,315 instances for vehicles involved. Crashes at signalized intersections accounted for 1,127 instances, while 564 occurred at locations with a stop sign.

The leading contributing factor cited for drivers was "Following too Close / ACDA," accounting for 764 instances. This was followed by "Failure to Yield" with 491 instances and "Drove off Road" with 323 instances. Other significant factors included improper lane changes (139) and improper backing (114).

A total of 281 crashes involved commercial trucks, representing 9.6% of all crashes in the county. Of these, 170 involved a semi-tractor trailer, while the remaining 111 involved other types of commercial vehicles.

Crashes involving vulnerable road users included 14 incidents with pedestrians and 7 with bicyclists, for a combined total of 21 vulnerable user crashes. Additionally, there were 46 crashes involving motorcyclists during this period.

There were 312 crashes involving animals, which constitutes 10.7% of all reported incidents. The vast majority of these, 299 crashes, were collisions with deer. An additional 13 crashes involved other, unspecified animals.

A total of 161 crashes, or 5.5% of all crashes, were noted as involving driver impairment. Among these, alcohol was a factor in 120 incidents, drugs were a factor in 22, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was present in 19.

While most drivers were listed as "Apparently Normal," 206 drivers were recorded with a specific condition affecting their ability to drive. The most common was "Under the Influence of Medications / Drugs / Alcohol" with 136 drivers, followed by 25 drivers who reportedly fell asleep, fainted, or were fatigued.

Among the 4,975 drivers involved in crashes, 252 were noted as being distracted. The leading specified distractions were "Other distraction inside the vehicle" (88 drivers) and "Other distraction outside the vehicle" (70 drivers). Electronic device use was explicitly cited for 74 drivers, including 25 who were manually operating a device.

Most crashes (2,053) occurred on straight, level sections of road. However, 211 crashes (7.2% of the total) took place on curves, and 722 crashes (24.8%) occurred on a grade, indicating areas with changes in elevation.

Geographically, crashes were most concentrated in the City of Medina, which saw 695 incidents, representing 23.8% of the county's total. The cities of Wadsworth and Brunswick followed, with 443 and 290 crashes, respectively. Montville township had the fourth-highest volume with 222 crashes.

An analysis of vehicle actions prior to impact shows that a majority, 58.7% (2,989 vehicles), were moving straight ahead. The next most frequent pre-crash action was "Slowing or Stopped In Traffic," which was the case for 859 vehicles (16.9%). Making a left turn was the third most common action, noted for 428 vehicles.

The most frequent crash type was "Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport," which accounted for 1,016 incidents or 34.8% of the total; these are typically single-vehicle collisions. The most common type of multi-vehicle crash was a rear-end collision, with 760 incidents, making up 26.1% of all crashes.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 2,181 of the 5,096 total vehicles (42.8%). Sport Utility Vehicles were the second most common, with 1,506 units involved. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors and single-unit trucks, were involved in 267 instances.

Of the 6,820 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority were drivers, accounting for 4,975 people (73.0%). Vehicle occupants (passengers) made up the next largest group with 1,827 individuals (26.8%). Pedestrians were involved in 18 instances.

Among the 6,820 people involved in crashes, 15 sustained fatal injuries. A total of 973 people, or 14.3% of all individuals, suffered some level of injury, ranging from possible to serious. The largest group, 5,764 people, were not injured.

Of the individuals for whom safety equipment use was recorded, 5,766 were using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 407 individuals were documented as using no safety equipment at the time of their crash. An additional 30 individuals were noted as using a helmet, typically motorcyclists.

The majority of incidents, 1,865 crashes (64.0%), involved two vehicles. Single-vehicle crashes were also common, accounting for 908 incidents or 31.1% of the total. Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less frequent, making up 4.9% of all events.