1,734 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

Motorists comprised the largest group of individuals killed or injured, with 5 fatalities and 561 injuries. In addition, 2 pedestrians were killed and 12 were injured in traffic crashes during this period. No bicyclists were killed or injured in 2021.

Crash patterns show a peak on Wednesdays, with 284 incidents recorded. The most frequent time for crashes was the 4 p.m. hour, which saw 143 collisions. While a majority of crashes (1,160) occurred in daylight, a significant number also happened in low-light conditions, including 329 on unlit dark roads and 151 on lighted dark roads.

Of the 1,734 total crashes, 76.2% (1,321 incidents) resulted in no injuries, involving only property damage. The remaining 23.8% of crashes involved some level of injury, including 7 fatal crashes (0.4%), 55 with serious injuries (3.2%), and 351 with minor or possible injuries. These 7 fatal crashes resulted in a total of 7 fatalities.

The majority of crashes occurred in favorable conditions, with 66.9% (1,160 incidents) happening in daylight and 74.0% (1,283 incidents) on dry road surfaces. Crashes in clear weather accounted for 986 incidents. Adverse conditions were also present in a minority of crashes, including 199 in rain, 50 in snow, and 337 on wet road surfaces.

Among the 3,623 people involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented with 533 individuals, followed by the 35-44 group with 517 people. Analysis of the 2,931 vehicles involved shows that Chevrolet was the most frequent make with 625 vehicles, followed by Ford with 488 and Honda with 238.

The first harmful event in most crashes, 1,152 incidents, occurred on the roadway itself. However, a significant portion were run-off-road events, with 434 crashes occurring on the roadside, 70 on the shoulder, and 54 outside the trafficway. Combined, these events off the primary travel lanes account for 558 crashes, or 32.2% of the total.

Analysis of traffic controls present at crash locations indicates that the majority of vehicles involved, 2,223 units, were in areas with no traffic control device. For crashes at controlled locations, 429 vehicles were involved at intersections with a traffic signal and 258 were at locations with a stop sign.

The most common contributing factors cited for drivers were 'Drove off Road' with 277 instances and 'Following too Close / ACDA' with 276 instances. 'Failure to Yield' and 'Unsafe Speed' were also significant factors, each cited 249 times. 'Left of Center' was noted in 74 cases.

In 2021, 91 commercial vehicles were involved in crashes in Scioto County. Of these, 33 were identified as semi-tractor trailers and 58 were classified as other types of commercial vehicles, such as cargo vans or single-unit trucks.

Crashes involved 43 vulnerable road users and motorcyclists. These included 27 crashes with motorcyclists, 14 with pedestrians, and 2 with bicyclists. Combined, crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists, who are among the most vulnerable road users, totaled 16 incidents.

A total of 101 crashes were attributed to collisions with animals. The vast majority of these, 92 incidents, involved deer. The remaining 9 crashes involved other, unspecified types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 120 crashes, representing 6.9% of the total. Among these, alcohol was suspected in 62 incidents, drugs in 51 incidents, and a combination of both alcohol and drugs in 7 incidents.

Beyond impairment, other driver conditions were noted in a minority of cases. This includes 28 drivers who reportedly fell asleep, fainted, or were fatigued, and 22 drivers with a physical impairment. Illness was cited for 5 drivers and an emotional state for 3 drivers.

Among the 2,635 drivers involved, a specific distraction was identified for a small fraction. The most cited was 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' with 44 instances, followed by 'Manually operating an electronic communication device' with 18 instances. 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' and 'Other activity with an electronic device' were each noted 12 times.

While most crashes (1,167) occurred on straight and level road segments, a notable number happened on more challenging alignments. Crashes on curves accounted for 312 incidents (18.0% of the total), and crashes on grades (slopes) accounted for 430 incidents (24.8% of the total).

The geographic distribution of crashes within Scioto County was concentrated in a few key areas. The city of Portsmouth accounted for the largest share, with 622 crashes, representing 35.9% of the county's total. Porter Township had the second-highest volume with 190 crashes (11.0%), followed by the village of New Boston with 127 crashes (7.3%).

The most common pre-crash action for the 2,931 vehicles involved was 'Straight Ahead,' accounting for 1,590 vehicles (54.2%). The next most frequent actions were 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic' with 291 vehicles (9.9%) and being 'Parked' with 276 vehicles (9.4%).

Nearly half of all incidents (814 crashes, or 46.9%) were classified as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which typically includes single-vehicle crashes with fixed objects or non-vehicular parties. Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were the most common type with 385 incidents (22.2%), followed by rear-end collisions with 303 incidents (17.5%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 1,374 units, followed by Sport Utility Vehicles (635 units) and Pickups (561 units). These three categories together represented 87.7% of all vehicles in collisions. Additionally, 91 commercial vehicles, including 33 semi-tractors, were involved.

Of the 3,623 people involved in crashes, the majority were drivers, accounting for 2,635 individuals (72.7%). Vehicle occupants (passengers) comprised the next largest group with 970 individuals (26.8%). A small fraction, 18 people (0.5%), were pedestrians.

Among the 3,544 people whose injury status was recorded, 7 suffered fatal injuries and 573 sustained non-fatal injuries (serious, minor, or possible). In total, 16.4% of all persons involved in crashes experienced some level of injury. The remaining 2,964 individuals were not injured.

Among vehicle occupants with a known safety equipment status, 177 individuals were recorded as using no restraints. The most common form of protection was the shoulder and lap belt, used by 2,931 people. Child restraints, including forward-facing, rear-facing, and booster seats, were used by a combined 170 children.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common crash configuration, accounting for 999 incidents (57.6% of the total). Single-vehicle crashes were also frequent, with 650 incidents (37.5%). Multi-vehicle crashes involving three or more units were less common, though one incident involved 15 vehicles.