23,002 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
MAY 2021

Of the 122 total fatalities, 115 were motorists, and 7 were pedestrians. There were no cyclist fatalities recorded in this period. In terms of injuries, 9,009 motorists and 173 pedestrians were injured. No cyclist injuries were reported in the dataset for this period.

Crash patterns show a distinct peak during the work week, culminating on Friday with 3,619 incidents. The single busiest hour for crashes was the 3 p.m. afternoon commute hour, which saw 1,957 crashes. A significant majority of collisions, 16,977 or 73.8%, occurred during daylight hours.

Of the 23,002 crashes, 71.7% (16,502) resulted in no injuries and were classified as property-damage-only. The remaining incidents involved some level of injury, including 682 serious injuries, 3,238 minor injuries, and 2,465 possible injuries. There were 115 distinct fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 122 fatalities, as a single crash can involve more than one death.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 115 fatal crash events resulted in 122 persons killed.

The majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions. Data shows that 73.8% of crashes (16,977) happened in daylight, 66.5% (15,289) in clear weather, and 82.1% (18,891) on dry road surfaces. Crashes in adverse weather were less frequent, with 2,720 incidents occurring during rain.

Among the 52,199 people involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented, accounting for 8,321 individuals. Of the 41,451 vehicles involved, domestic brands were most frequent, led by Chevrolet with 6,249 vehicles and Ford with 5,861 vehicles. Honda was the third most common make with 3,585 vehicles involved in collisions.

The vast majority of incidents, 19,148 crashes, had their first harmful event occur on the main roadway. However, a notable number of crashes originated off the primary travel lanes, with 1,897 occurring on the roadside, 810 on the shoulder, and 165 in the median. Combined, these run-off-road incidents account for 2,872 crashes, or 12.5% of the total.

Analysis of traffic controls associated with the 41,451 vehicle units in crashes shows that the largest number, 26,831, were in areas with no traffic control device present. Signalized intersections were associated with 10,564 vehicle units in crashes, while locations with stop signs were associated with 3,111 units.

Among contributing factors cited for drivers involved in crashes, 'Following too Close / ACDA' was the most common, noted for 5,229 drivers. This was followed by 'Failure to Yield', which was cited for 3,281 drivers, and 'Drove off Road', attributed to 2,203 drivers.

Crashes in May 2021 involved 1,635 commercial trucks. Of these, 889 were classified as semi-tractor trailers, and 746 were categorized as other types of commercial vehicles.

There were 863 crashes involving vulnerable road users or motorcyclists. Motorcyclists were involved in 571 of these incidents, while pedestrians were involved in 184 crashes and bicyclists in 108 crashes. Combined, pedestrians and bicyclists accounted for 292 crashes.

A total of 1,540 crashes were reported as involving an animal, representing 6.7% of all crashes. The vast majority of these incidents, 1,435 crashes, specifically involved deer, with the remaining 105 involving other types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 1,287 crashes, or 5.6% of the total for the month. Among these, alcohol was the sole factor in 897 incidents, drugs were the sole factor in 226, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 164 crashes.

While most drivers were listed as 'Apparently Normal', several adverse conditions were noted. A total of 1,077 drivers were identified as being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol. Additionally, 292 drivers were reported to have fallen asleep, fainted, or been fatigued, and 177 had a physical impairment.

Among drivers for whom a distraction was noted, the most common category was 'Other distraction inside the vehicle,' with 607 instances. This was followed by 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (446 drivers). Electronic device use was also a factor, with 178 drivers engaged in an activity with an electronic device and 174 manually operating one.

The roadway geometry was straight and level for the majority of crashes (17,606). However, 4,181 crashes (18.2%) occurred on a grade, and 2,192 crashes (9.5%) occurred on a curve. Crashes on a curve with a grade accounted for 1,022 of these incidents.

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in Ohio's largest municipalities. Cleveland reported the most incidents with 1,419, followed by Cincinnati with 1,341 and Columbus with 1,271. Together, these three cities accounted for 4,031 crashes, representing 17.5% of the statewide total.

Analysis of the 41,451 vehicles involved in crashes shows that the most common pre-crash action was driving 'Straight Ahead,' reported for 22,153 vehicles (53.4%). The second most frequent action was 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic,' which accounted for 6,126 vehicles.

The most frequent crash type was 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which includes single-vehicle crashes and collisions with objects or pedestrians, accounting for 7,643 incidents (33.2%). For crashes between two vehicles, rear-end collisions were the most common, with 5,613 incidents, making up 24.4% of all crashes.

Of the 41,451 vehicles involved in crashes, passenger cars were the most common type, accounting for 21,157 units. Sport Utility Vehicles were the second most frequent with 9,381 units, followed by pickup trucks with 4,512 units. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors and single unit trucks, were involved in over 1,463 instances.

A total of 52,199 individuals were involved in crashes during this period. The majority, 38,648 people (74.0%), were drivers. Vehicle occupants or passengers constituted the next largest group with 13,354 individuals (25.6%), while pedestrians accounted for 197 people (0.4%).

Of the 52,199 people involved in crashes, 9,182 sustained some level of injury, representing 17.6% of all individuals. Fatal injuries were recorded for 122 people, which is 0.23% of the total number of persons involved. The largest group, 41,254 people, reported no injuries.

Among the 52,199 individuals involved in crashes, 40,134 were recorded as using a shoulder and lap belt. A total of 2,906 occupants were recorded as using no safety equipment at the time of the crash. Additionally, 1,862 individuals were using a child restraint system or booster seat.

The most common crash configuration involved two vehicles, accounting for 15,365 incidents or 66.8% of the total. Single-vehicle crashes were the next most frequent, with 6,232 incidents (27.1%). Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, with 1,405 such incidents reported.