22,766 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
AUGUST 2021

Motor vehicle occupants accounted for the vast majority of casualties, with 120 motorists killed and 9,255 injured. Among vulnerable road users, pedestrians were the most impacted group, with 12 individuals killed and 199 injured. There were no cyclist fatalities or injuries reported in the key performance indicators for this period.

Crash occurrences peaked on Tuesdays with 3,849 incidents, and the most frequent time for crashes was the 4 p.m. hour, which saw 1,979 events. The data indicates a strong concentration of crashes during daytime and evening commute hours, with incidents rising from the morning and peaking in the late afternoon between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The majority of crashes, 70.8% (16,122 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Injury-related crashes accounted for 28.7% of the total, while fatal crashes made up 0.5%. The 122 fatal crashes resulted in a total of 132 fatalities, indicating some incidents involved multiple deaths.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 122 fatal crash events resulted in 132 persons killed.

The vast majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions, with 75.7% of incidents happening during daylight hours, 69.1% in clear weather, and 84.9% on dry road surfaces. Crashes in adverse conditions were less frequent, with 2,132 incidents reported during rain and 3,253 on wet roads.

Analysis of persons involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 8,373 individuals. Among the 41,995 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Chevrolet (6,336), Ford (5,978), and Honda (3,736). Passenger Cars were the most common vehicle type, accounting for 21,053 of the vehicles.

The first harmful event in most crashes, 19,029 incidents, occurred on the primary roadway. A notable portion of crashes, totaling 3,229 incidents, involved a vehicle leaving the travel lanes. These run-off-road events included 1,819 crashes on the roadside, 759 on the shoulder, and 500 outside the designated trafficway.

The majority of vehicles involved in crashes, 26,833 units, were at locations with no traffic control devices present. Crashes at locations with traffic signals involved 11,244 vehicles. Incidents at intersections controlled by stop signs involved 2,999 vehicles.

The most frequently cited contributing factor for vehicles in crashes was 'Following too Close / ACDA,' attributed to 5,673 vehicles. 'Failure to Yield' was the second most common factor, noted for 3,421 vehicles. Other significant factors included 'Drove off Road' (2,010 vehicles) and 'Improper Lane Change' (1,370 vehicles).

A total of 1,814 commercial trucks were involved in crashes during this period, representing 4.3% of all vehicles in collisions. Of these, 978 were identified as semi-tractor trailers, while the remaining 836 were classified as other types of commercial vehicles.

Crashes involved 367 vulnerable road users, comprising 222 pedestrians and 145 bicyclists, which together accounted for 1.6% of all crash incidents. Additionally, 560 motorcyclists were involved in crashes during the same period.

There were 784 crashes involving animals, making up 3.4% of all incidents. The vast majority of these, 700 crashes, were collisions with deer. An additional 84 crashes involved other types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 1,139 crashes, representing 5.0% of the total. Among these, alcohol was suspected in 761 incidents, drugs in 244 incidents, and a combination of both in 134 incidents. These figures represent a minimum, as impairment can be under-reported.

While most drivers were recorded as 'Apparently Normal,' several adverse conditions were noted for a total of 1,596 drivers. A total of 915 drivers were reported as being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol. Additionally, 268 drivers were noted as having fallen asleep or being fatigued, and 158 had a physical impairment.

Distraction was identified as a factor for 1,527 drivers, or 3.9% of all drivers involved. The most common issues were 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' (634 drivers) and 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (430 drivers). Electronic device use was also a factor, with 158 drivers manually operating a device like a phone.

While most crashes (17,253) occurred on straight, level roads, a significant number happened on more complex alignments. Crashes on curves accounted for 9.7% of all incidents (2,207 crashes). Roadways with a grade were the site of 18.8% of crashes, totaling 4,283 incidents.

The highest concentration of crashes occurred in Ohio's major urban centers. Cincinnati recorded the most incidents with 1,461, followed by Cleveland with 1,311, and Columbus with 1,232. Together, these three cities accounted for 17.6% of all crashes statewide in August 2021.

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was proceeding 'Straight Ahead,' which described 21,867 vehicles (52.1%). The second most frequent action was 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic,' involving 6,599 vehicles (15.7%). Making a left turn was the third most common action, noted for 3,431 vehicles involved in collisions.

The most frequent type of crash was a single-vehicle incident, categorized as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which accounted for 6,737 crashes or 29.6% of the total. Among multi-vehicle incidents, rear-end collisions were the most common, representing 26.7% of all crashes (6,077 incidents). Angle collisions were also prevalent, making up 23.8% of the total.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 21,053 units or 50.1% of all vehicles. Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks were also frequently involved, representing 22.5% and 11.0% of vehicles, respectively. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors and single-unit trucks, comprised approximately 3.8% of the vehicles in collisions.

Of the 52,894 individuals involved in crashes, the majority (74.1%) were drivers, totaling 39,170 people. Passengers accounted for 25.5% of persons involved, or 13,489 individuals. Pedestrians made up a smaller but significant group, with 235 individuals involved in crashes.

Examining the outcomes for all 52,894 people involved, 132 individuals sustained fatal injuries, representing 0.25% of the total. A combined 9,454 people, or 17.9%, suffered some level of injury, ranging from serious to possible. The majority of individuals, 41,662 people (78.8%), were not injured.

Among vehicle occupants with a reported safety equipment status, 2,837 individuals were recorded as using no restraints, accounting for 6.1% of this group. The vast majority, 41,010 people, were reported as using both a shoulder and lap belt. Additionally, 1,877 children were secured in a child restraint system or booster seat.

The most common crash scenario involved two vehicles, which accounted for 16,067 incidents or 70.6% of the total. Single-vehicle crashes were the next most frequent type, with 5,246 incidents (23.0%). Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, representing 6.4% of all incidents.