22,609 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
SEPTEMBER 2021

Of the individuals killed or injured, motorists comprised the largest group, with 125 fatalities and 8,785 injuries. Vulnerable road users also sustained significant harm, with 12 pedestrians killed and 219 injured. The data for this period recorded zero cyclist fatalities or injuries.

Crash frequency peaked midweek, with Wednesday recording the highest number of incidents at 4,297. Hourly data shows distinct peaks during afternoon commute hours, with both the 3 PM and 4 PM hours experiencing the most crashes (1,919 each). While most crashes occurred during daylight (15,962), a substantial number, 5,229, happened in dark conditions, both on lighted and unlighted roadways.

The vast majority of crashes, 72% (16,286 incidents), resulted in no injuries and were classified as property-damage-only. Crashes involving some level of injury accounted for 27.5% of the total, encompassing possible, minor, and serious injuries. There were 130 fatal crashes during this period, which resulted in a total of 137 fatalities, indicating some incidents involved more than one death.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 130 fatal crash events resulted in 137 persons killed.

The majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions. Data shows that 74.3% of incidents happened in clear weather, 86.0% on dry road surfaces, and 70.6% during daylight hours. Conversely, 2,280 crashes were recorded during rain, 3,020 occurred on wet roads, and 5,229 took place in dark conditions.

Among the 52,428 people involved in crashes, individuals in the 26-34 age group were the most represented, accounting for 8,257 participants. The 35-44 age group followed with 6,971 individuals. An analysis of the 41,834 vehicles involved shows that Chevrolet was the most frequent make with 6,244 vehicles, followed by Ford with 5,927 and Honda with 3,654.

The initial point of impact for most crashes was on the primary travel lanes, with 19,174 incidents occurring 'On Roadway'. A notable portion, however, were run-off-road events. Crashes that occurred 'On Roadside' (1,652), 'On Shoulder' (699), or 'In Median' (113) collectively account for 2,464 incidents, or approximately 10.9% of the total.

Data on traffic control devices associated with vehicles in crashes indicates that a majority, 26,714, were in areas with 'No Control'. Signalized intersections were the location for 11,037 involved vehicles. Stop signs were the third most common control type present, noted for 3,120 vehicles.

Analysis of contributing factors attributed to drivers shows that 'Following too Close / ACDA' was the most common improper action, cited in 5,635 instances. 'Failure to Yield' was the second-leading factor with 3,536 citations, followed by 'Drove off Road' (1,919 instances) and 'Improper Lane Change' (1,220 instances).

Crashes involving commercial trucks accounted for 1,728 incidents, representing 7.6% of all crashes during this period. Of these, 934 involved a semi-tractor trailer, while the remaining 794 involved other types of commercial vehicles.

There were 914 crashes involving motorcyclists, pedestrians, or bicyclists. Motorcyclists were involved in 531 of these incidents. Vulnerable road users, defined as pedestrians and bicyclists, were involved in a combined 383 crashes, with 236 involving pedestrians and 147 involving bicyclists.

A total of 1,112 crashes involved collisions with animals, making up 4.9% of all incidents. The vast majority of these, 1,005 crashes, were strikes involving deer. The remaining 107 incidents involved other, unspecified animals.

Impairment was a noted factor in 1,106 crashes, or 4.9% of the total. Alcohol was the most frequently cited substance, involved in 785 incidents. Drugs were noted in 209 incidents, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was recorded in 112 cases.

While most drivers were recorded as 'Apparently Normal,' several adverse conditions were noted. A total of 914 drivers were recorded as being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol. Another 242 drivers reportedly 'Fell Asleep, Fainted, Fatigued,' and 167 had a 'Physical Impairment.'

Among drivers for whom a distraction was recorded, the leading factor was 'Other distraction inside the vehicle,' noted for 592 drivers. This was followed by 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (466 drivers). Distractions involving electronic devices were also significant, with 176 drivers 'Manually operating an electronic communication device' and 171 engaged in 'Other activity with an electronic device.'

The roadway geometry was straight and level for the majority of crashes (17,438). However, a notable number occurred on non-level or curved sections. Crashes on grades (both straight and curved) accounted for 4,049 incidents, or 17.9% of the total. Crashes on curves (both level and graded) accounted for 2,028 incidents, representing 9.0% of all crashes.

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in urban areas. The top three municipalities by crash volume were Cleveland (1,352 crashes), Cincinnati (1,342 crashes), and Columbus (1,204 crashes). Combined, these three cities accounted for 3,900 crashes, representing 17.2% of the statewide total for the month.

Analysis of the 41,834 vehicles involved in crashes shows that the most common pre-crash action was 'Straight Ahead,' recorded for 21,979 vehicles (52.5%). The second most frequent action was 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic,' which accounted for 6,587 vehicles (15.7%). 'Making Left Turn' was the third most common action, noted for 3,591 vehicles (8.6%).

The most frequent crash type was 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' representing 29.4% (6,641) of all incidents, which typically indicates single-vehicle crashes. This was followed by 'Rear-end' collisions, which accounted for 26.6% (6,013) of crashes. 'Angle' collisions were the third most common type, making up 24.2% (5,477) of the total.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 20,914 (50.0%) of the 41,834 vehicles recorded. Sport Utility Vehicles were the second most common, with 9,661 vehicles (23.1%). Heavier vehicles such as semi-tractors, buses, and single unit trucks collectively represented about 4.3% of the vehicles involved.

Of the 52,428 individuals involved in crashes, the majority were drivers, accounting for 39,103 people (74.6%). Vehicle occupants (passengers) were the next largest group, with 13,071 individuals (24.9%). Pedestrians made up a smaller but critical group, with 254 individuals involved.

Among all 50,768 persons with a recorded injury status, 9,141 individuals (18.0%) sustained some level of injury or were fatally wounded. This includes 137 fatalities, 741 serious injuries, 4,413 minor injuries, and 3,850 possible injuries. The majority of individuals involved, 41,627 people, were not injured.

Among the 52,028 vehicle occupants whose safety equipment use was recorded, 3,084 individuals (5.9%) were documented as using 'None Used'. The most common status was 'Shoulder and Lap Belt Used', reported for 40,504 occupants. This indicates that a small but significant minority of occupants were not using available restraints.

The data shows that two-vehicle collisions were the most common scenario, accounting for 15,996 crashes or 70.7% of the total. Single-vehicle crashes were the next most frequent, with 5,137 incidents (22.7%). Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, making up the remaining 6.5% of incidents.