25,672 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
NOVEMBER 2021

Motorists comprised the largest group of individuals killed or seriously injured, with 100 fatalities and 7,992 injuries. Pedestrians represented a significant share of fatalities, with 24 individuals killed and another 208 injured. According to the data, no bicyclists were killed or injured during this period, despite 69 crashes involving bicycles.

Crash frequency peaked on Mondays, which recorded 4,577 incidents. The single busiest hour for crashes was the 5 p.m. evening commute hour, with 2,303 events. While crashes were concentrated during commute times, a plurality of incidents (12,548, or 48.9%) occurred in daylight conditions, compared to 11,163 in dark conditions and 1,735 during dawn or dusk.

The majority of crashes (19,802, or 77.1%) resulted in no injuries and were classified as property damage only. Collisions involving injuries accounted for 22.5% of the total, spread across possible (9.7%), minor (10.9%), and serious (1.9%) injury severities. A total of 109 crashes were fatal, representing 0.4% of all incidents and resulting in 124 total fatalities.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 109 fatal crash events resulted in 124 persons killed.

A majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions. Analysis shows that 78.8% of crashes (20,231) happened on dry road surfaces, and 62.1% (15,935) occurred in clear weather. Adverse conditions were less frequent, with 4,133 crashes on wet roads, 2,095 in rain, and 1,216 during snow.

Among the 55,661 people involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 8,819 individuals. An analysis of the 44,244 vehicles involved shows that the most frequent makes were Chevrolet (6,690 vehicles), Ford (6,219 vehicles), and Honda (3,786 vehicles).

The vast majority of initial impacts, 21,960 crashes, occurred on the main roadway. However, a notable number of crashes began off the traveled lanes. These run-off-road incidents included 1,770 on the roadside, 788 on the shoulder, and 135 in the median, collectively accounting for 2,693 crashes, or 10.5% of the total.

Data on vehicles involved in crashes shows that the largest number, 29,791, were at locations with no traffic control present. For crashes at controlled locations, 10,672 vehicles were at intersections with a traffic signal, and 2,900 were at locations with a stop sign.

Among contributing factors assigned to drivers, 'Following too Close / ACDA' was the most cited, with 5,366 instances. This was followed by 'Failure to Yield' (3,258 instances) and 'Other Improper Action' (2,713 instances). Other leading factors included 'Drove off Road' (2,100 instances) and 'Improper Lane Change' (1,397 instances).

A total of 1,832 commercial trucks were involved in crashes during this period. Of these, 1,067 were identified as semi-tractor trailers, while the remaining 765 were classified as other types of commercial vehicles.

Crashes involved 304 vulnerable road users, consisting of 235 pedestrians and 69 bicyclists. In addition, 97 motorcyclists were involved in crashes. These user groups are often associated with a higher risk of severe injury or fatality when involved in a collision.

Animal strikes were a significant factor in November, accounting for 4,253 crashes, or 16.6% of the statewide total. The vast majority of these incidents, 4,127 crashes, involved deer. The remaining 126 crashes involved other, unspecified types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 1,077 crashes, representing 4.2% of all incidents. Alcohol was the most common factor, cited in 782 crashes, while drugs were cited in 150 crashes, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 145 crashes. These figures represent a minimum, as impairment can be under-reported.

Beyond normal driving, several adverse driver conditions were recorded. A total of 849 drivers were noted as being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol. Other reported conditions included fatigue or falling asleep (244 drivers), physical impairment (172 drivers), and emotional distress (126 drivers).

Among drivers for whom a distraction was noted, the most common were 'other distraction inside the vehicle' (522 drivers) and 'other distraction outside the vehicle' (424 drivers). Use of an electronic device was a factor for at least 378 drivers, including 143 who were manually operating a device such as for texting.

While most crashes occurred on straight and level roads, roadway geometry was a factor in a notable subset of incidents. Crashes on a grade (either straight or curved) accounted for 4,803 incidents (18.7% of total). Crashes on a curve (either level or graded) accounted for 2,444 incidents (9.5% of total).

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in Ohio's major metropolitan areas. The top three municipalities by crash volume were Cincinnati (1,278 crashes), Cleveland (1,232 crashes), and Columbus (1,139 crashes). Combined, these three cities accounted for 3,649 crashes, or 14.2% of the statewide total.

The most common action by vehicles immediately prior to a crash was driving 'Straight Ahead,' recorded for 24,756 vehicles. The next most frequent pre-crash actions were 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic' (6,206 vehicles) and 'Making Left Turn' (3,496 vehicles).

Single-vehicle crashes, categorized as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' were the most frequent type of incident, accounting for 10,018 crashes (39.0%). Among multi-vehicle crashes, rear-end collisions were the most common, with 5,632 incidents (21.9%), followed by angle collisions with 5,391 incidents (21.0%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 22,154 of the 44,244 vehicles (50.1%). Sport Utility Vehicles were the second most common, with 10,772 units involved. Commercial vehicles, including 1,151 semi-tractors and 466 single-unit trucks, were also present in the crash data.

Of the 55,661 individuals involved in crashes, the majority were drivers, accounting for 41,793 people (75.1%). Passengers (occupants) made up the next largest group with 13,611 individuals (24.5%). A smaller but notable group consisted of 257 pedestrians.

Among the 55,661 people involved in traffic incidents, 8,200 (14.7%) sustained an injury of some severity. A total of 124 individuals (0.22%) suffered fatal injuries. The vast majority of people involved, 45,621 individuals, were not injured.

Based on available data for 54,955 individuals, the use of safety equipment varied. While 44,412 people were reported to have used a shoulder and lap belt, a significant number, 2,804 individuals, were recorded as using no safety equipment at all. Another 990 were in a forward-facing child restraint system.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common crash configuration, accounting for 15,620 incidents (60.8% of the total). Single-vehicle crashes were the second most frequent type, with 8,713 incidents (33.9%). Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, representing 5.2% of all events.