1,269 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, crash data for Union County shows that motorists constituted all of the fatalities and the vast majority of injuries. A total of 5 motorists were killed and 436 were injured. Among vulnerable road users, 2 pedestrians were injured. No fatalities were recorded for pedestrians or cyclists, and no cyclists were reported as injured.

Crash analysis by time reveals distinct patterns. The most frequent day for crashes was Friday, with 247 incidents, followed by Tuesday with 200. The evening commute period was the most hazardous time, with the single hour from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. recording the highest number of crashes (109). Overall, crashes were concentrated in the afternoon and evening, with a peak between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Of the 1,269 total crashes, the majority (75.9% or 963 incidents) were property-damage-only with no reported injuries. Injury-involved crashes accounted for 23.8% of the total, comprising 32 serious injuries, 146 minor injuries, and 123 possible injuries. There were 5 fatal crashes, which resulted in 5 total fatalities, indicating one fatality per fatal crash event.

The majority of crashes in 2021 occurred in favorable conditions. Specifically, 76.7% (974 crashes) happened on dry roads, 65.0% (825 crashes) occurred in clear weather, and 59.3% (752 crashes) took place during daylight hours. Crashes in adverse conditions included 107 incidents during rain, 69 in snow, and 200 on wet road surfaces.

Analysis of the 2,613 people involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was most represented, with 405 individuals, followed closely by the 35-44 age group with 399 individuals. Among the 2,039 vehicles involved, passenger cars were the most common, accounting for 940 units. The top three vehicle makes involved in crashes were Honda (496 vehicles), Ford (243 vehicles), and Chevrolet (228 vehicles).

The location of the first harmful event was on the roadway for 1,015 of the 1,269 crashes. A notable portion of incidents were run-off-road events, with 96 crashes occurring on the roadside, 64 on the shoulder, and 5 in the median. Combined, these crashes that occurred off the primary travel lanes but within the right-of-way account for 165 incidents, or 13.0% of the total.

Analysis of traffic control at crash locations shows that the majority of vehicle units were involved in crashes where no traffic control was present. Of the 2,039 vehicles in crashes, 1,389 were at locations with no control device. In contrast, 314 vehicle units were involved in crashes at signalized intersections, and 185 were at intersections controlled by a stop sign.

Driver actions were a significant factor in many crashes. The most commonly cited contributing factor was 'Following too Close / ACDA,' attributed to 248 vehicle operators. The second most frequent factor was 'Drove off Road,' noted for 154 drivers, followed by 'Failure to Yield' for 136 drivers. Together, these three actions account for the primary contributing factor in over a quarter of all vehicle involvements.

Crashes involving commercial trucks accounted for 121 vehicle involvements in 2021. Of these, 79 involved a semi-tractor trailer, while the remaining 42 involved other types of commercial vehicles. These incidents represent a specific subset of crashes often associated with higher severity and liability.

A total of 31 crashes involved either a motorcyclist or a vulnerable road user. Motorcyclists were the largest group, involved in 26 crashes. Vulnerable road users, defined as pedestrians and bicyclists, were involved in 5 crashes, with 3 involving pedestrians and 2 involving bicyclists.

Animal-related collisions were a notable crash type, accounting for 240 incidents, or 18.9% of all crashes in 2021. The vast majority of these incidents, 230 crashes, involved a collision with a deer. The remaining 10 crashes involved other, unspecified types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 60 crashes, representing 4.7% of the total for the year. Alcohol was the most common form of impairment, cited in 47 crashes. Drugs were a factor in 9 crashes, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 4 crashes. These figures are based on officer suspicion or testing at the scene.

Excluding drivers noted as 'Apparently Normal,' a total of 78 drivers were recorded with a specific adverse physical or emotional condition. The most frequent condition was being 'Under the Influence of Medications / Drugs / Alcohol,' with 44 drivers. An additional 16 drivers were noted as having 'Fell Asleep; Fainted; Fatigued; etc.', and 8 were identified as being 'Emotional'.

Among drivers for whom a distraction was identified, a total of 85 were engaged in a distracting activity. The most common were 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' (38 drivers) and 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (24 drivers). Use of electronic devices was specifically noted for 18 drivers, including 8 who were manually operating a device and 10 engaged in another electronic device activity.

Roadway geometry analysis shows that 193 crashes, or 15.2% of the total, occurred on a curve. A larger portion, 415 crashes (32.7%), occurred on a grade, whether straight or curved. The majority of crashes, 737 incidents (58.1%), took place on straight, level sections of roadway.

The geographic distribution of crashes within Union County was uneven. The City of Marysville accounted for the largest share, with 411 crashes, representing 32.4% of the county's total. The Township of Jerome had the second-highest number with 275 crashes (21.7%). Following them were the townships of Paris with 109 crashes and Allen with 108 crashes.

The most common action of vehicles immediately prior to a crash was proceeding 'Straight Ahead,' which described the movement of 1,148 vehicles. The second most frequent pre-crash action was 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic,' with 275 vehicles. Turning maneuvers were also common, with 125 vehicles 'Making Left Turn' and 63 'Making Right Turn' before impact.

Nearly half of all crashes were single-vehicle incidents, with 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport' being the classification for 610 crashes, or 48.1% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, the most common type was a 'Rear-end' collision, which accounted for 252 incidents (19.9%). Angle collisions were the next most frequent, with 200 crashes (15.8%).

Passenger cars were the most prevalent vehicle type involved in crashes, with 940 units recorded. Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) were the second most common, with 487 units, followed by Pick-up trucks with 246 units. Commercial vehicles were also present, including 82 semi-tractors and 44 single-unit trucks.

A total of 2,613 persons were involved in traffic crashes in 2021. The vast majority of these individuals, 1,961 people, were drivers. An additional 649 people were vehicle occupants or passengers. A small number of non-motorists were involved, including 3 pedestrians.

Of the 2,613 people involved in crashes, 2,104 (80.5%) sustained no injuries. A total of 438 individuals were injured, categorized as 43 with serious injuries, 194 with minor injuries, and 201 with possible injuries. Five individuals sustained fatal injuries, accounting for 0.2% of all persons involved.

Data on safety equipment usage shows that 2,202 occupants were reported as using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 73 individuals were recorded as using no safety restraints at the time of their crash. Among children, 65 were in a forward-facing child restraint, 30 in a rear-facing system, and 28 in a booster seat.

The majority of crashes involved either one or two vehicles. Two-vehicle crashes were the most common scenario, accounting for 666 incidents (52.5% of total). Single-vehicle crashes were also frequent, with 557 incidents (43.9%). Multi-vehicle crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, with 46 such incidents recorded.