3,661 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, 11 motorists were killed and 1,206 were injured in Richland County crashes. Among vulnerable road users, 3 pedestrians were killed and 19 were injured. There were no cyclist fatalities or injuries reported in the dataset for this period.

Crash patterns in Richland County show a clear weekly and daily rhythm. Fridays were the most frequent day for crashes with 621 incidents, and the afternoon commute hour of 3 p.m. was the daily peak with 297 crashes. Overall, crashes occurred most often during daylight hours, which accounted for 2,272 of the total incidents.

The majority of crashes in Richland County, 75.9% or 2,778 incidents, resulted in no injuries. Injury-involved crashes accounted for 23.7% of the total. There were 14 fatal crashes recorded, which resulted in 14 fatalities; it is important to note that the number of fatalities can be higher than the number of fatal crashes in events with multiple deaths.

The vast majority of crashes occurred in seemingly ideal driving conditions. Approximately 73.2% of crashes happened on dry roads (2,679 incidents), 58.7% in clear weather (2,151 incidents), and 62.1% during daylight hours (2,272 incidents). Crashes in adverse conditions were less frequent, with 388 occurring during rain and 692 on wet road surfaces.

Analysis of individuals involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 1,119 people. Regarding the vehicles involved, Chevrolet was the most frequent make with 1,177 vehicles, followed by Ford with 887 and Honda with 439. Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type, involved in 2,985 instances.

The initial point of impact for most crashes, 2,861 incidents, occurred on the roadway itself. However, a notable number of crashes were run-off-road events, with a combined 742 incidents first occurring on the roadside, shoulder, or in the median. These off-roadway events represent 20.3% of all crashes in the county.

Of all vehicle units involved in crashes, the majority (4,293) were at locations with no traffic control device present. A significant number of vehicles, 1,175, were involved in crashes at locations with a traffic signal. Crashes at intersections controlled by a stop sign involved 451 vehicle units.

The most commonly cited contributing factor for drivers in crashes was 'Following too Close / ACDA,' attributed to 664 vehicle units. The second most frequent factor was 'Failure to Yield,' noted for 475 units, followed by 'Unsafe Speed' for 436 units. These three factors represent the leading driver actions contributing to collisions in the county.

Crashes in 2021 involved 310 commercial trucks. Of these, 193 were identified as semi-tractor trailers, while the remaining 117 were classified as other types of commercial vehicles. These incidents represent a key area of focus due to the potential severity of heavy truck collisions.

A total of 109 crashes involved vulnerable road users or motorcyclists. Motorcyclists were involved in 80 crashes, while pedestrians were involved in 23 and bicyclists in 6. Combined, crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists accounted for 29 incidents, which are often associated with a higher risk of severe injury or fatality.

Animal-related collisions accounted for 516 crashes, representing 14.1% of all incidents in Richland County. The vast majority of these, 489 crashes, involved collisions with deer. An additional 27 crashes involved other types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 208 crashes, or 5.7% of the total for the year. Among these, alcohol was suspected in 150 incidents, drugs were suspected in 38, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 20. These figures represent a minimum, as impairment can be difficult to determine at the scene.

Beyond 'Apparently Normal,' several driver conditions were noted at the time of crashes. 'Under the Influence of Medications / Drugs / Alcohol' was the most common adverse condition, recorded for 158 drivers. Other reported conditions included physical impairment (38 drivers) and instances of falling asleep or fatigue (36 drivers).

Among the 5,617 drivers involved in crashes, 204 were noted as being distracted. The most common distraction was an unspecified factor inside the vehicle, cited for 90 drivers. Manually operating an electronic device like a phone was noted for 21 drivers, while another 44 were distracted by something outside their vehicle.

While most crashes (2,371) occurred on straight and level road segments, a significant portion happened on roads with more challenging geometry. Crashes on grades accounted for 1,088 incidents, or nearly 29.7% of the total. An additional 356 crashes, representing 9.7%, occurred on curved sections of roadway.

The geographic distribution of crashes within Richland County is concentrated in a few key areas. The City of Mansfield saw the highest number of incidents, with 1,404 crashes representing 38.3% of the county's total. Madison Township had the second-highest volume with 353 crashes (9.6%), followed by Washington Township with 276 crashes (7.5%).

Analysis of vehicle actions prior to collision shows that the majority of units, 3,643 or 60.7%, were moving straight ahead. The second most common pre-crash action was slowing or being stopped in traffic, which applied to 731 vehicles (12.2%). Making a left turn was the third most frequent action, recorded for 452 vehicles.

The most common type of crash was a single-vehicle event, classified as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which accounted for 1,656 incidents or 45.2% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were the most frequent, with 754 incidents (20.6%), followed closely by rear-end collisions with 673 incidents (18.4%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 2,985 of the 6,003 total units. Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) were the second most frequent with 1,258 units, followed by pickup trucks with 810 units. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors, single-unit trucks, and buses, were involved in 313 instances.

Of the 7,489 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority, 5,617 people or 75%, were drivers. Passengers (occupants) comprised the next largest group with 1,848 individuals (24.7%). A smaller but notable group consisted of 24 pedestrians involved in collisions.

Examining the outcomes for all 7,489 people involved in crashes, 14 individuals sustained fatal injuries (0.2%). A total of 1,225 people, or 16.4%, suffered some level of injury, ranging from possible to serious. The majority of individuals, 6,035 people, were not injured.

Among vehicle occupants for whom safety equipment use was recorded, 6,227 were reported as using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 277 individuals were reported as using no safety equipment at all. An additional 275 individuals were secured in a child restraint system or booster seat.

The majority of crashes, 2,032 incidents, involved a collision between two vehicles. Single-vehicle crashes were also very common, accounting for 1,489 incidents or 40.7% of the total. Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less frequent, with 140 such incidents recorded, including one crash that involved seven vehicles.