193 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

All 4 fatalities and 93 injuries recorded in Vinton County in 2021 involved motorists. There were no pedestrians or cyclists killed or injured in traffic crashes during this period. The 4 motorist fatalities occurred across 4 separate crashes.

Crashes in Vinton County occurred most frequently on Sundays, which saw 31 incidents over the year. The single busiest hour for crashes was the 3 p.m. hour, with 22 recorded events. While 101 crashes (52.3%) happened in daylight, a substantial number, 73 crashes, occurred in darkness on unlighted roadways.

Over half of the crashes, 113 out of 193 (58.5%), resulted in no injuries. The remaining 41.5% involved at least a possible injury, with 10 crashes categorized as causing serious injuries. There were 4 fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 4 fatalities.

The majority of crashes occurred in favorable conditions, with 62.2% on clear days and 75.1% on dry road surfaces. However, adverse conditions were still a factor, as 21 crashes (10.9%) happened during rain and 39 (20.2%) occurred on wet roads. Crashes in darkness on unlighted roadways were also notable, accounting for 73 incidents (37.8%).

Of the 327 individuals involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented with 55 people, followed closely by the 16-20 age group with 49 people. Among the 241 vehicles involved, Ford was the most frequent make with 52 vehicles. Chevrolet (40 vehicles) and Toyota (21 vehicles) were the next most common makes.

A significant portion of crashes involved vehicles leaving the travel lanes. In total, 88 crashes, or 45.6% of all incidents, had their first harmful event occur off the roadway. This includes 73 crashes on the roadside, 9 outside the trafficway, and 6 on the shoulder.

The vast majority of vehicles involved in crashes were at locations with no traffic control devices. Of the 241 vehicles in crashes, 222 (92.1%) were at locations marked as 'No Control'. In contrast, only 16 vehicles were involved in crashes at stop signs and 2 at traffic signals.

Among driver-attributed actions leading to crashes, 'Drove off Road' was the most cited factor, listed for 56 drivers. The second most common factor was 'Unsafe Speed', attributed to 34 drivers. 'Failure to Yield' was the third leading factor, noted for 15 drivers.

Commercial trucks were involved in 12 crashes, representing 6.2% of the county's total. These incidents were evenly split between semi-tractor-trailers and other types of commercial vehicles, with 6 crashes involving each category.

Crashes involving animals were a frequent occurrence, accounting for 45 incidents or 23.3% of all crashes in the county. The overwhelming majority of these, 44 crashes, involved collisions with deer. Only one crash was attributed to another type of animal.

Impaired driving was a factor in 17 crashes, constituting 8.8% of the total for the year. Of these, alcohol was suspected in 10 incidents and drugs were suspected in 7 incidents. These figures represent cases where impairment was noted by law enforcement.

Beyond normal driving conditions, impairment and fatigue were the most noted driver states. Seventeen drivers were recorded as being under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol. An additional 8 drivers were noted as having fallen asleep, fainted, or been fatigued.

Among the 237 drivers involved in crashes, a specific distraction was identified for 17 of them. The most common noted distraction was an unspecified one inside the vehicle, which was cited for 9 drivers. Other identified distractions included those outside the vehicle (3 drivers) and activities with an electronic device (4 drivers).

Road geometry played a role in a significant number of crashes, with 69 incidents (35.8%) occurring on curves. Road grade was also a factor, with 58 crashes (30.1%) happening on a grade, either straight or curved. Crashes on sections that were both curved and graded accounted for 33 of these incidents.

The geographic distribution of crashes was led by Harrison township, which saw 32 incidents, or 16.6% of the county's total. Elk township followed with 29 crashes (15.0%), while Clinton and Richland townships each recorded 25 crashes (13.0%). These four areas collectively accounted for over half of all crashes in the county.

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was driving straight ahead, which was the case for 125 of the 241 vehicles involved (51.9%). The second most frequent action was negotiating a curve, reported for 69 vehicles (28.6%). These two maneuvers account for over 80% of all vehicle actions prior to a crash.

The predominant crash type was single-vehicle incidents, classified as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport'. This category accounted for 146 of the 193 crashes, representing 75.6% of all events. The next most frequent type was angle collisions, which comprised just 9.8% of the total.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 98 units, followed by 61 pick-up trucks and 49 sport utility vehicles. Combined, these three categories represent 86% of all vehicles in crashes. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors and single-unit trucks, were involved in 14 incidents.

Of the 327 people involved in crashes, the majority were drivers, accounting for 237 individuals or 72.5% of the total. The remaining 90 people (27.5%) were vehicle occupants or passengers. No pedestrians or other non-motorists were recorded in the crash data for this period.

Among the 327 people involved in crashes, 93 sustained some level of injury, and 4 suffered fatal injuries. This means that 29.7% of all individuals in crashes were either injured or killed. The largest group of injured persons sustained minor injuries (70 people), while 10 people had serious injuries.

Among 327 vehicle occupants, 39 individuals (11.9%) were recorded as not using any safety equipment at the time of their crash. Conversely, 249 people were noted as using a shoulder and lap belt. Additionally, 13 children were secured in various types of child restraint systems.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common incident type by a large margin. Of the 193 total crashes, 146 (75.6%) involved only one vehicle. Two-vehicle collisions accounted for another 46 crashes (23.8%), and only one crash involved three vehicles.