848 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, vehicle occupants (motorists) accounted for the vast majority of casualties, with 6 killed and 354 injured. One pedestrian was killed and five were injured in crashes during the same period. No cyclists were reported killed or injured in Morrow County.

Crashes in Morrow County occurred most frequently on Fridays, with 134 incidents recorded in 2021. The single busiest hour for crashes was the 5 p.m. hour, which saw 73 events, indicating a strong correlation with the evening commute. Overall, more crashes happened during daylight hours (491) than during dark or low-light conditions (352).

The majority of crashes, 71.6% (607 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Injury-related crashes accounted for 27.5% of the total, comprising 30 serious injury, 168 minor injury, and 36 possible injury events. There were 7 fatal crashes, which resulted in 7 fatalities during this period.

The majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions, with 60.0% happening in clear weather and 74.6% on dry road surfaces. Over half of all incidents (57.9%) took place during daylight hours. Crashes in adverse weather included 114 in rain and 37 in snow, while 169 crashes occurred on wet roads.

Among the 1,711 people involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented with 275 individuals, followed by the 35-44 age group (246 people). Of the 1,220 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Chevrolet (224 vehicles), Ford (179 vehicles), and Honda (115 vehicles).

The initial harmful event in 569 crashes (67.1%) occurred on the primary roadway. A notable portion of incidents, totaling 254 crashes or 29.9%, were classified as run-off-road events, with the first impact occurring on the roadside (205), in the median (26), or on the shoulder (23).

The vast majority of vehicles involved in crashes, 86.5% (1,056 vehicles), were at locations with no traffic control devices present. Crashes at intersections with stop signs involved 91 vehicles (7.5% of the total), while those at signalized intersections involved 65 vehicles (5.3%).

Analysis of contributing factors indicates that driving off the road was the most common circumstance, cited for 201 vehicles. This was followed by failure to yield (94 vehicles), following too closely (92 vehicles), and unsafe speed (62 vehicles). These top four factors collectively accounted for the actions of 449 vehicles involved in crashes.

Commercial trucks were involved in 74 crashes, representing 8.7% of all incidents in 2021. Of these, 59 crashes involved a semi-tractor trailer, while the remaining 15 involved other types of commercial vehicles.

Crashes involved 18 non-occupants, including 12 motorcyclists and 6 pedestrians. These vulnerable road user incidents, which often carry a higher risk of severe injury, accounted for a small fraction of total crashes. No crashes involving bicyclists were recorded.

Animal-related collisions were a significant factor, accounting for 180 incidents or 21.2% of all crashes in 2021. The vast majority of these, 175 crashes, involved collisions with deer. An additional 5 crashes were attributed to collisions with other animals.

Impairment was a factor in 52 crashes, representing 6.1% of the total for the year. Among these, alcohol was suspected in 37 incidents, drugs in 8 incidents, and a combination of alcohol and drugs in 7 incidents. These figures represent a minimum, as impairment may be under-reported.

Among 1,199 drivers with a reported condition, 74 were noted as having a condition other than 'apparently normal'. This includes 49 drivers believed to be under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or medication, and 14 drivers who reportedly fell asleep, fainted, or were fatigued. An additional 5 drivers were noted for illness and 5 for a physical impairment.

Driver distraction was identified as a factor for 57 drivers involved in crashes. The most common issues were unspecified distractions inside the vehicle (23 drivers) and distractions related to electronic devices, including manual operation like texting (9 drivers) and other electronic device activity (8 drivers).

The majority of crashes occurred on straight road segments, with 556 on level roads and 232 on grades. Crashes on curves accounted for 58 incidents (6.8% of total), while 248 crashes (29.2%) occurred on a grade, whether straight or curved.

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in several townships, with Bennington having the highest volume at 162 crashes. Franklin township followed with 103 crashes, and Harmony township recorded 64. Together, these three areas accounted for 38.8% of all crashes in the county.

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was driving straight ahead, which was reported for 870 vehicles (71.3% of total). Other frequent actions included slowing or stopping in traffic (82 vehicles) and making a left turn (76 vehicles).

Single-vehicle crashes were the predominant type, with 528 incidents (62.3%) classified as "Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport." Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were the most common, accounting for 127 incidents (15.0%), followed by rear-end collisions at 83 incidents (9.8%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 509 of the 1,220 vehicles (41.7%). Sport Utility Vehicles (298) and Pick-up trucks (214) were also frequently involved. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors and other trucks, comprised 8.6% of the vehicles in crashes.

Of the 1,711 individuals involved in crashes, the majority were drivers, accounting for 1,199 people (70.1%). Vehicle occupants (passengers) made up the next largest group with 505 individuals (29.5%). A total of 7 pedestrians were also involved in these incidents.

Across all 1,711 people involved in crashes, 1,315 (76.8%) sustained no injuries. A total of 366 individuals were either injured or killed, representing 21.4% of all participants. This included 7 fatalities, 39 serious injuries, 264 minor injuries, and 56 possible injuries.

Safety equipment usage was reported for most vehicle occupants, with 1,424 individuals using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 88 people were recorded as using no safety equipment at all. An additional 84 individuals were in some form of child restraint, including forward-facing seats, rear-facing seats, or booster seats.

A majority of the incidents, 499 crashes or 58.8%, involved only a single vehicle. Two-vehicle collisions were also common, accounting for 329 crashes (38.8%). Multi-vehicle incidents involving three or more vehicles were less frequent, with 17 three-vehicle crashes and 3 four-vehicle crashes recorded.