576 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, vehicle occupants (motorists) accounted for the vast majority of casualties, with 5 motorists killed and 235 injured in crashes. One pedestrian was killed and one was injured in the same period. No cyclists were killed or injured in any reported crashes.

Crash patterns in Perry County during 2021 show that Wednesdays were the most frequent day for incidents, with 95 crashes recorded, closely followed by Saturday with 94. The single hour with the most crashes was the 4 p.m. hour, which saw 41 incidents. Overall, a majority of crashes (354 out of 576) occurred during daylight hours.

Of the 576 total crashes in Perry County, 68.2% (393 crashes) resulted in no injuries, involving only property damage. The remaining incidents included 177 crashes with possible, minor, or serious injuries. There were 6 fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 6 fatalities.

The majority of crashes in Perry County occurred in ideal conditions, with 61.5% happening in daylight, 65.8% in clear weather, and 77.9% on dry road surfaces. Crashes in adverse weather included 41 in rain and 14 in snow. Collisions on non-dry surfaces included 84 on wet roads and 20 on icy roads.

Analysis of the 1,096 people involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 184 individuals. Among the 827 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Ford with 170 vehicles, Chevrolet with 125, and Honda with 66.

Analysis of the crash location shows that 308 incidents, or 53.5% of the total, had their first harmful event occur on the roadway. A significant number of crashes, 250 in total (43.4%), were run-off-road incidents, with the first harmful event occurring on the roadside or shoulder.

The majority of vehicles involved in crashes were at locations with no traffic control devices present, accounting for 689 of the 827 vehicles. Locations with stop signs and traffic signals each accounted for 61 vehicles involved in crashes. This indicates that most incidents occurred on road segments away from controlled intersections.

The most frequently cited contributing factor for vehicles in crashes was 'Drove off Road,' attributed to 216 vehicles. This was followed by 'Following too Close / ACDA' with 65 vehicles and 'Failure to Yield' with 53 vehicles. Other notable factors included 'Left of Center' (33 vehicles) and 'Unsafe Speed' (25 vehicles).

In 2021, a total of 30 commercial trucks were involved in crashes in Perry County. These were evenly split, with 15 incidents involving a semi-tractor trailer and 15 involving another type of commercial vehicle.

Crashes in 2021 involved 23 vulnerable road users. This total includes 21 motorcyclists and 2 pedestrians. There were no reported crashes involving bicyclists during this period.

A total of 49 crashes were attributed to collisions with animals, representing 8.5% of all crashes in the county. The vast majority of these, 40 incidents, involved deer, while 9 involved other types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 42 crashes, accounting for 7.3% of the total. Among these, alcohol was suspected in 25 cases, drugs in 11 cases, and a combination of alcohol and drugs in 6 cases. These figures represent a baseline, as impairment can be under-reported.

Out of 794 drivers involved in crashes, 60 were noted as having a condition other than 'Apparently Normal.' The most common of these was 'Under the Influence of Medications / Drugs / Alcohol,' recorded for 38 drivers. An additional 16 drivers were reported as having fallen asleep, fainted, or being fatigued.

Among the 794 drivers involved in crashes, 45 were reported as being distracted. The leading specific distraction was 'Other distraction inside the vehicle,' cited for 26 drivers, followed by 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' for 10 drivers. Manually operating an electronic communication device was a factor for 5 drivers.

While most crashes occurred on straight, level roads, a notable portion happened on more complex roadway geometries. Crashes on curves accounted for 27.3% of all incidents (157 crashes). Additionally, 37% of crashes (213 incidents) took place on a grade, either straight or curved.

The geographic distribution of crashes across Perry County shows a concentration in a few key areas. The city of New Lexington recorded the highest volume with 107 crashes, representing 18.6% of the county's total. Following were the townships of Pike with 59 crashes, Thorn with 58, and Reading with 56.

The most common action of vehicles immediately before a crash was driving 'Straight Ahead,' which accounted for 466 of the 827 vehicles involved. The second most frequent pre-crash action was 'Negotiating a Curve,' noted for 142 vehicles. An additional 50 vehicles were slowing or stopped in traffic prior to the collision.

The most common type of crash in Perry County was a single-vehicle incident, categorized as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which accounted for 339 crashes or 58.9% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, rear-end collisions were the most frequent, with 67 incidents, making up 11.6% of all crashes.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 339 of the 827 vehicles (41.0%). Sport Utility Vehicles (185) and Pick up trucks (178) were also frequently involved. Commercial vehicles, including 15 semi-tractors and 16 single-unit trucks, were involved in 31 instances.

Of the 1,096 people involved in crashes, the majority (794, or 72.4%) were drivers. Vehicle occupants accounted for another 300 individuals (27.4%). A small fraction of those involved were pedestrians, with 2 individuals recorded in crashes.

Across all 1,096 individuals involved in crashes, 830 people (75.7%) sustained no injuries. A total of 236 people suffered injuries ranging from possible to serious, and 6 individuals were fatally injured. In total, 22.1% of people involved in crashes sustained some level of injury or were killed.

Among vehicle occupants for whom safety equipment use was recorded, 803 individuals were reported as using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 125 occupants were recorded as using no safety equipment at all. An additional 9 individuals were noted as using a helmet.

The data shows that single-vehicle crashes were the most common type of incident, accounting for 340 crashes, or 59.0% of the total. Two-vehicle collisions were the next most frequent, with 223 incidents. Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, with 13 such events recorded in 2021.