26,589 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
OCTOBER 2021

In October 2021, motorists accounted for the majority of casualties, with 105 individuals killed and 9,214 injured. Among vulnerable road users, 14 pedestrians were killed and 252 were injured in traffic collisions. The data reported no fatalities or injuries for cyclists during this period.

Crash occurrences peaked on Fridays, with 5,416 incidents reported, significantly higher than other days of the week. The most frequent time for crashes was the 4 p.m. hour, which saw 2,076 events, followed by the 3 p.m. hour with 2,058. Analysis of lighting conditions shows that 15,620 crashes occurred during daylight, while 8,994 took place in dark conditions, either on lighted or unlighted roadways.

The majority of crashes, 74.8% (19,899 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Injury-related crashes accounted for 24.7% of the total, distributed among serious (562), minor (3,274), and possible (2,747) injury categories. There were 107 fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 119 fatalities, indicating some crashes involved more than one death.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 107 fatal crash events resulted in 119 persons killed.

The data indicates that most crashes occurred in favorable conditions, with 14,299 crashes happening in clear weather and 18,814 on dry road surfaces. A total of 15,620 crashes occurred during daylight hours. Regarding adverse conditions, 5,062 crashes were reported during rain, and 7,559 occurred on wet roads.

Analysis of persons involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 9,390 individuals. Among the 47,244 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Chevrolet (6,855 vehicles), Ford (6,758 vehicles), and Honda (4,184 vehicles).

The vast majority of crashes, 22,610 incidents, had their first harmful event occur on the roadway. A notable number of crashes, 2,936 in total, were run-off-road events, with 1,970 occurring on the roadside, 815 on the shoulder, and 151 in the median. These run-off-road incidents represent approximately 11% of all crashes.

Analysis of traffic controls at crash locations shows that a majority of vehicles, 30,864, were involved in crashes where no traffic control device was present. Crashes at signalized intersections involved 12,033 vehicles, while those at locations with stop signs involved 3,427 vehicles.

The most frequently cited contributing factor for vehicles involved in crashes was 'Following too Close / ACDA,' attributed to 6,095 vehicles. 'Failure to Yield' was the second most common factor, noted for 3,725 vehicles. 'Drove off Road' was listed as a contributing circumstance for 2,319 vehicles involved in collisions.

A total of 1,919 commercial trucks were involved in crashes during this period. This included 1,090 semi-tractor trailers and 829 other types of commercial vehicles. These vehicles represent a notable category due to their size and potential crash severity.

Crashes involving vulnerable road users and motorcyclists included 279 incidents with motorcyclists, 275 with pedestrians, and 117 with bicyclists. Combined, there were 392 crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists. These types of crashes are often associated with higher rates of serious injury or fatality.

There were 2,920 crashes involving animals, which constitutes approximately 11% of all crashes in October. The vast majority of these incidents, 2,808 crashes, were collisions with deer. An additional 112 crashes involved other types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 1,248 crashes, representing 4.7% of the total for the month. Among these incidents, alcohol was suspected in 899 cases, drugs in 231 cases, and a combination of both in 118 cases. These figures represent a minimum, as impairment can be under-reported at the scene.

Beyond 'Apparently Normal' drivers, several adverse driver conditions were recorded for the 44,476 drivers in the dataset. A total of 1,001 drivers were noted as being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol. Additionally, 267 drivers were reported as having fallen asleep, fainted, or being fatigued, and 179 had a physical impairment.

Among the 44,476 drivers involved in crashes, specific distractions were noted for a subset. The most common recorded distractions were 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' (579 drivers) and 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (475 drivers). Electronic device use was also a factor, with 172 drivers manually operating a device and 156 engaged in another activity with an electronic device.

While most crashes (20,202) occurred on straight, level roads, a significant number happened on more challenging alignments. Crashes on roads with a grade (either straight or curved) totaled 4,972 incidents. Additionally, 2,579 crashes occurred on curves, representing 9.7% of all crashes.

The geographic distribution of crashes is concentrated in major urban centers. Cleveland saw the highest volume with 1,478 crashes, followed by Cincinnati with 1,411 and Columbus with 1,307. Together, these three cities accounted for 4,196 crashes, representing approximately 15.8% of the statewide total for the month.

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was 'Straight Ahead,' which was reported for 25,570 units. The second most frequent action was 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic,' accounting for 6,970 vehicles. 'Making Left Turn' was the third most common maneuver, reported for 4,006 vehicles involved in collisions.

The most common crash type was a single-vehicle collision, categorized as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which accounted for 9,329 incidents or 35.1% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, rear-end collisions were the most frequent, with 6,401 incidents representing 24.1% of all crashes. Angle collisions were the third most common type, with 5,854 incidents.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 23,879 of the 47,244 total vehicles. Sport Utility Vehicles were the second most frequent with 11,010 units. Commercial vehicles were also present, including 1,170 semi-tractors and 569 single-unit trucks.

Of the 59,654 individuals involved in crashes, the majority were drivers, accounting for 44,476 people. Passengers made up the next largest group with 14,885 individuals. The data also recorded the involvement of 293 pedestrians in collisions.

Among the 59,654 people involved in crashes, 9,466 sustained some level of injury, representing 15.9% of all individuals. A total of 119 individuals suffered fatal injuries, which is 0.2% of all persons involved. The largest group, 48,208 people, reported no injuries.

The data shows that 46,909 vehicle occupants used both a shoulder and lap belt. However, 3,046 individuals were recorded as using no safety equipment at the time of their crash. Proper use of child restraints was also noted, with 1,162 in forward-facing systems and 538 in rear-facing systems.

The most common incident type involved two vehicles, accounting for 17,259 crashes. Single-vehicle crashes were the next most frequent, with 7,786 incidents, representing 29.3% of the total. Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, with 1,308 incidents involving three vehicles and 184 involving four.