2,017 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, motorists accounted for the vast majority of traffic casualties, with 12 fatalities and 747 injuries recorded. Among vulnerable road users, one pedestrian was killed and nine were injured. There were no cyclist fatalities or injuries reported in this dataset.

Crashes in Ross County occurred most frequently on Fridays, with 354 incidents recorded in 2021. The single busiest hour for crashes was the 4 p.m. hour, which saw 173 incidents. Overall, crashes were more common during daylight hours, which accounted for 1,288 of the total crashes.

The majority of crashes in 2021, 73.4% (1,481 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Injury-related crashes, including those with serious, minor, or possible injuries, accounted for 26.0% of the total. There were 12 fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 13 fatalities, indicating at least one crash involved multiple deaths.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 12 fatal crash events resulted in 13 persons killed.

A majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions, with 1,190 incidents in clear weather and 1,547 on dry roads. Crashes during daylight hours accounted for 1,288 incidents. Regarding adverse conditions, 209 crashes occurred during rain, 362 on wet road surfaces, and 478 on unlit roads after dark.

Analysis of the 4,365 people involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 616 individuals, followed closely by the 35-44 age group with 607 individuals. Among the 3,219 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Chevrolet (511 vehicles), Ford (509 vehicles), and Honda (261 vehicles).

The initial point of impact for most crashes (1,443 incidents) was on the roadway itself. However, a notable number of crashes involved vehicles leaving the travel lanes. A combined 505 crashes, representing 25.0% of the total, had their first harmful event occur on the roadside, shoulder, or in the median.

The majority of vehicles involved in crashes were at locations with no traffic control device present, accounting for 2,393 of the 3,219 total vehicles. Crashes at locations with traffic signals involved 584 vehicles, while those at stop signs involved 209 vehicles.

The most frequently cited contributing factor for drivers was "Following too Close / ACDA," attributed to 353 vehicles. This was followed by "Drove off Road" (307 vehicles), "Failure to Yield" (222 vehicles), and "Unsafe Speed" (200 vehicles).

Crashes involving commercial trucks accounted for 141 incidents in 2021. Among these, 85 crashes involved a semi-tractor trailer, while the remaining 56 involved other types of commercial vehicles such as single-unit trucks or cargo vans.

Crashes involving vulnerable road users included 10 pedestrians and 4 bicyclists, for a combined total of 14 incidents. In addition, 27 crashes involved motorcyclists. These incidents represent a small fraction of total crashes but often result in higher severity outcomes.

Collisions with animals were a significant factor, totaling 321 incidents, or 15.9% of all crashes in Ross County. The vast majority of these, 294 crashes, involved collisions with deer. An additional 27 crashes were attributed to collisions with other animals.

Impairment was a factor in 119 crashes, accounting for 5.9% of the total. Among these incidents, alcohol was suspected in 71 cases, drugs in 36 cases, and a combination of both in 12 cases. These figures represent a minimum baseline, as impairment may not always be determined at the scene.

While most drivers were recorded as "Apparently Normal," several adverse conditions were noted. A total of 114 drivers were believed to be under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol. An additional 38 drivers were reported as having fallen asleep, fainted, or being fatigued at the time of their crash.

Among drivers for whom a distraction was noted, 49 were distracted by something inside their vehicle and 31 by something outside. Electronic device use was a factor for at least 28 drivers, including 16 who were manually operating a device and 3 who were talking on a hand-held device.

While the majority of crashes (1,377) occurred on straight, level sections of road, road geometry was a factor in a notable share of incidents. Crashes on curves accounted for 391 incidents, or 19.4% of the total. Additionally, 411 crashes, representing 20.4% of all incidents, occurred on a grade.

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in a few key areas of Ross County. The city of Chillicothe accounted for the largest share, with 524 crashes, representing 26.0% of the county's total. The townships of Scioto and Union followed, with 330 (16.4%) and 220 (10.9%) crashes, respectively.

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was driving "Straight Ahead," which was reported for 1,834 vehicles, or 57.0% of the total. The next most frequent actions were "Slowing or Stopped In Traffic" (362 vehicles) and "Negotiating a Curve" (346 vehicles).

The most common type of crash was a single-vehicle incident, categorized as "Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport," which accounted for 1,046 crashes or 51.9% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were the most frequent type with 373 incidents (18.5%), followed by rear-end collisions with 335 incidents (16.6%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 1,497 of the 3,219 vehicles (46.5%). Sport Utility Vehicles (809 vehicles) and Pick-up trucks (510 vehicles) were the next most frequent. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors and single-unit trucks, were involved in 119 crashes.

Of the 4,365 individuals involved in traffic crashes, the vast majority, 3,046 people (69.8%), were drivers. Vehicle occupants (passengers) constituted the second-largest group with 1,309 individuals (30.0%). A total of 10 pedestrians were also involved in these incidents.

Across all 4,365 people involved in crashes, 13 individuals sustained fatal injuries and 756 sustained some level of injury. This means that 17.6% of all persons involved were either injured or killed. The remaining 3,518 individuals, or 80.6%, were not injured.

The data shows that a portion of vehicle occupants did not use safety equipment. Among those for whom restraint use was recorded, 313 individuals were reported as using no restraints at all. In contrast, 3,547 people were recorded as using a shoulder and lap belt.

Crashes most commonly involved two vehicles, which accounted for 1,016 incidents (50.4% of the total). Single-vehicle crashes were also very common, with 918 incidents making up 45.5% of all crashes. Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less frequent, representing just 4.1% of the total.