1,264 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, motorists accounted for all traffic fatalities and the vast majority of injuries in Shelby County. Four motorists were killed and 266 were injured in crashes. Additionally, seven pedestrians sustained injuries, though no pedestrian fatalities were reported. No cyclists were reported as killed or injured during this period.

Crash frequencies in Shelby County peaked on Thursdays, which saw 200 incidents over the year. The single most common time for a crash was the 4 p.m. hour, with 93 occurrences, aligning with the afternoon commute. Overall, crashes were more frequent during daytime hours, with a significant concentration between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The vast majority of crashes, 83.8% (1,059 incidents), resulted in no injuries and were classified as property-damage-only. Injury crashes, including those with serious, minor, or possible injuries, accounted for 16.0% of the total (203 incidents). There were 2 fatal crashes recorded, which resulted in a total of 4 fatalities, as a single crash can involve more than one death.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 2 fatal crash events resulted in 4 persons killed.

A majority of crashes occurred in favorable conditions. Incidents in clear weather accounted for 756 crashes, while 977 crashes happened on dry road surfaces and 715 occurred during daylight hours. Among adverse conditions, rain was a factor in 128 crashes, and wet roads were present in 2022 incidents. Crashes in darkness occurred 450 times, with most of those (328) on unlighted roadways.

Among the 2,554 people involved in crashes, the most represented age groups were 16-20 years old (352 individuals), 35-44 years old (349 individuals), and 26-34 years old (348 individuals). Of the 2,002 vehicles involved, passenger cars were the most common type (832), followed by sport utility vehicles (474). The most frequent vehicle makes recorded in crashes were Ford (322), Chevrolet (320), and Honda (233).

The first harmful event in 81.3% of crashes (1,028 incidents) occurred on the primary roadway. A significant portion of crashes, 14.6% (184 incidents), were run-off-road events where the first impact happened on the roadside, shoulder, or in the median. An additional 37 crashes occurred outside the designated trafficway.

The majority of vehicles involved in crashes were at locations with no traffic control devices present, accounting for 1,493 units. Crashes at intersections with traffic signals involved 329 vehicles, while those at intersections with stop signs involved 150 vehicles. A small number of incidents occurred at locations with flashers (10), roundabouts (4), or yield signs (4).

Among driver-related contributing factors cited, 'Following too Close / ACDA' was the most common, attributed to 174 vehicle operators. 'Drove off Road' was the second-leading factor, noted for 123 drivers, followed by 'Failure to Yield' which was cited in 115 instances. 'Unsafe Speed' (58) and 'Improper Backing' (54) were also frequently recorded actions.

Crashes involving commercial trucks accounted for 116 incidents in 2021, representing 9.2% of all crashes in the county. Of these, 85 crashes involved a semi-tractor trailer, while the remaining 31 involved other types of commercial vehicles.

In 2021, there were 26 crashes involving motorcyclists, pedestrians, or bicyclists. Vulnerable road users, defined as pedestrians and bicyclists, were involved in a combined 12 of these incidents (7 pedestrian, 5 bicyclist). Motorcyclists were involved in the remaining 14 crashes.

Crashes involving animals were a significant factor, totaling 295 incidents, or 23.3% of all crashes in the county. The vast majority of these, 283 crashes, were collisions with deer. The remaining 12 incidents involved other, unspecified types of animals.

Impaired driving was a factor in 51 crashes, representing 4.0% of the total for the year. Alcohol was the sole impairing substance noted in 41 of these incidents. Drugs were a factor in 4 crashes, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 6 crashes.

Excluding drivers noted as 'Apparently Normal', a specific condition was recorded for 74 drivers involved in crashes. The most common cited condition was 'Under the Influence of Medications / Drugs / Alcohol', which was recorded for 42 drivers. An additional 18 drivers were noted as having 'Fell Asleep; Fainted; Fatigued; etc.', while 6 had a 'Physical Impairment'.

Among drivers for whom a distraction was noted, 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' was the most common, recorded for 40 drivers. This was followed by 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (22 drivers) and distraction by a 'Passenger' (6 drivers). Electronic device use was explicitly cited for 9 drivers, including manual operation like texting (3) and talking on a device (3).

The majority of crashes (995 incidents) occurred on straight and level sections of roadway. However, roadway geometry played a role in a notable number of crashes, with 14.7% (186 incidents) occurring on a grade and 9.3% (118 incidents) occurring on a curve.

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in a few key areas of the county. The city of Sidney recorded the highest number of incidents with 513 crashes. The townships of Franklin and Clinton followed with 110 and 102 crashes, respectively. Together, these three jurisdictions accounted for 57.4% of all crashes in the county.

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles involved was 'Straight Ahead,' which described the movement of 1,195 vehicles (59.7% of the total). 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic' was the next most frequent action, recorded for 227 vehicles (11.3%). An additional 141 vehicles were 'Parked' at the time of their involvement in a crash.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common type of incident, with 642 crashes (50.8%) classified as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport.' Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were the most frequent type, accounting for 203 incidents (16.1%). Rear-end collisions were also common, with 183 incidents representing 14.5% of the total.

Passenger cars were the most prevalent vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 832 of the 2,002 vehicles. Sport Utility Vehicles (474) and Pick-up trucks (327) were the next most common types. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors, single-unit trucks, and buses, were involved in 127 crashes.

Of the 2,554 people involved in crashes, 1,846 (72.3%) were drivers. Passengers (occupants) accounted for another 701 individuals (27.4%). A small fraction, 7 individuals (0.3%), were pedestrians involved in collisions.

Among all 2,554 individuals involved in crashes, 4 people sustained fatal injuries (0.16%). A total of 273 people, or 10.7% of all participants, suffered some level of injury, ranging from serious (38 people) to minor (139 people) or possible (96 people). The majority of individuals, 2,218 people, were not injured.

The use of safety equipment was recorded for 2,543 vehicle occupants. Of these, 148 individuals (5.8%) were documented as not using any form of restraint, such as a seat belt. The vast majority, 2,060 occupants, were reported as using both a shoulder and lap belt.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common scenario, accounting for 666 crashes (52.7%). Single-vehicle crashes were also very frequent, with 567 incidents (44.8%). Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, with 31 such incidents recorded, including one crash that involved nine vehicles.