8,843 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, motorists accounted for the vast majority of traffic casualties, with 36 individuals killed and 2,876 injured. Crashes also resulted in 3 pedestrian fatalities and 57 pedestrian injuries. No bicyclist fatalities or injuries were recorded in the dataset for this period.

Crash frequencies in Stark County show distinct daily and weekly patterns. Fridays were the most common day for crashes with 1,501 incidents, while Wednesdays (1,422) and Thursdays (1,333) also saw high volumes. The afternoon commute, particularly the 4 p.m. hour, was the peak time for crashes with 724 incidents. Overall, 5,916 crashes (66.9%) occurred during daylight hours, compared to 2,440 in dark conditions.

The majority of crashes, 6,742 or 76.2%, resulted in no injuries. Injury-related crashes accounted for 23.4% of the total, including 156 serious injury crashes, 1,088 minor injury crashes, and 824 with possible injuries. There were 33 fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 39 fatalities, indicating that some incidents involved more than one death.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 33 fatal crash events resulted in 39 persons killed.

Most crashes in Stark County occurred in ideal driving conditions. Incidents on dry roads accounted for 7,011 crashes (79.3%), while 5,916 crashes (66.9%) happened in daylight. Clear weather was reported for 4,837 crashes (54.7%). In contrast, 1,410 crashes occurred on wet roads, and 770 incidents were recorded during rain.

Among the 20,264 people involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented with 2,987 individuals, followed by the 16-20 age group with 2,682. Of the 15,978 vehicles involved, Ford (2,502), Chevrolet (2,453), and Honda (1,107) were the most frequent makes recorded in crash reports.

The vast majority of crashes, 7,510 incidents or 84.9%, had their first harmful event occur on the primary roadway. A notable portion, 1,213 crashes or 13.7%, were run-off-road events, with the first harmful event occurring on the roadside (693), shoulder (260), outside the trafficway (231), or in the median (29).

Analysis of traffic controls present at crash locations shows that the largest number of vehicle involvements, 10,162, occurred where no traffic control device was present. Locations with traffic signals accounted for 4,262 vehicle involvements, and intersections with stop signs were the site of 1,358 vehicle involvements.

The most frequently cited contributing factor for drivers in crashes was 'Following too Close / ACDA,' noted in 2,246 instances. 'Failure to Yield' was the second most common factor with 1,445 instances, followed by 'Drove off Road' with 973 instances and 'Improper Lane Change' with 452 instances.

A total of 456 crashes involved a commercial truck, representing 5.2% of all crashes in Stark County. Of these, 241 involved 'Other Commercial Vehicles' and 215 involved a 'Semi-Tractor Trailer.'

Crashes involving vulnerable road users and motorcyclists included 130 incidents with motorcyclists, 72 with pedestrians, and 23 with bicyclists. Combined, there were 95 crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists, who are among the most at-risk groups in traffic environments.

There were 542 crashes involving animals, accounting for 6.1% of all reported incidents. The great majority of these, 514 crashes, specifically involved collisions with deer. An additional 28 crashes involved other types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 471 crashes, or 5.3% of the total. Alcohol was the sole factor in 335 of these incidents, while drugs were involved in 84, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 52 cases.

Among all drivers involved in crashes, 603 were noted as having a condition other than 'Apparently Normal.' The most common condition was being 'Under the Influence of Medications / Drugs / Alcohol,' which was recorded for 405 drivers. Other reported conditions included fatigue or falling asleep (81 drivers), emotional distress (47 drivers), and physical impairment (41 drivers).

Among the 15,144 drivers involved in crashes, a specific distraction was identified for 609 of them. The most common reported distractions were 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' (252 drivers) and 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (194 drivers). Electronic device use was also a factor, with 57 drivers engaged in 'Other activity with an electronic device' and 54 'Manually operating an electronic communication device.'

The roadway alignment was straight and level for the majority of crashes (6,510 incidents). However, a significant number of crashes occurred on roads with a grade (1,993 incidents, or 22.5%) or on curves (603 incidents, or 6.8%). Crashes on a curved grade, which combines both risk factors, accounted for 265 incidents.

The geographic distribution of crashes within Stark County shows a concentration in a few key areas. The city of Canton accounted for the largest share, with 2,957 crashes, representing 33.4% of the county's total. The townships of Jackson (1,332 crashes, 15.1%) and Plain (721 crashes, 8.2%) were the next most frequent locations for incidents.

Examining the actions of vehicles immediately before a collision shows that 'Straight Ahead' was the most common pre-crash maneuver, documented for 8,836 vehicles. The next most frequent actions were 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic' with 2,640 vehicles and 'Making Left Turn' with 1,455 vehicles.

The most frequent crash pattern was 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which includes single-vehicle crashes, accounting for 2,746 incidents or 31.1% of the total. This was followed closely by 'Rear-end' collisions (2,352 crashes, 26.6%) and 'Angle' collisions (2,326 crashes, 26.3%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 7,932 units, followed by Sport Utility Vehicles (4,087) and Pick-up trucks (2,037). Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors, single-unit trucks, and cargo vans, were involved in a combined 644 instances.

Of the 20,264 individuals involved in crashes, the majority were drivers (15,144 persons, or 74.7%). Vehicle occupants or passengers comprised the next largest group with 5,047 individuals (24.9%). A smaller but notable group consisted of 73 pedestrians.

Across all 20,264 people involved in crashes, a total of 2,972 individuals sustained an injury or were killed, representing 14.7% of all participants. This includes 39 fatalities, 184 serious injuries, 1,477 minor injuries, and 1,272 possible injuries. The remaining 17,003 persons were not injured.

Among individuals in vehicles, 16,438 were reported as using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 934 individuals were documented as using no safety equipment at the time of the crash. Additionally, various child restraint systems were in use, including 415 forward-facing seats and 135 booster seats.

The data shows that two-vehicle collisions are the most common type of crash, accounting for 6,091 incidents or 68.9% of the total. Single-vehicle crashes were the next most frequent, with 2,265 incidents (25.6%). Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, accounting for 487 incidents (5.5%).