1,181 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, vehicle occupants (motorists) accounted for the largest group of casualties, with 4 killed and 444 injured. Pedestrians represented a significant portion of fatalities, with 3 pedestrians killed and 4 injured in 7 separate crashes. No cyclists were reported killed or injured during this period.

Crash occurrences in Washington County peaked on Fridays, with 210 incidents reported in 2021. The most frequent time for crashes was the 3 p.m. hour, which saw 105 events. The majority of crashes, 816 in total, occurred during daylight hours, while 293 crashes happened in dark conditions.

The majority of crashes in 2021, 71.3% (842 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Crashes involving possible, minor, or serious injuries accounted for 333 incidents combined. There were 6 fatal crashes recorded, which resulted in a total of 7 fatalities, indicating at least one crash involved multiple deaths.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 6 fatal crash events resulted in 7 persons killed.

The vast majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions, with 77.9% (920 crashes) on dry roads and 63.8% (753 crashes) in clear weather. Similarly, 69.1% of incidents (816 crashes) took place during daylight hours. Crashes in adverse weather included 110 in rain and 45 in snow, while 201 crashes occurred on wet road surfaces.

Analysis of the 2,448 people involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 372 individuals, followed closely by the 65+ age group with 342. Among the 1,932 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Ford (343 vehicles), Chevrolet (319 vehicles), and Toyota (186 vehicles).

The first harmful event in most crashes, 869 incidents, occurred on the primary roadway. However, a notable 295 crashes, representing approximately 25% of the total, were run-off-road events. These included 226 crashes originating on the roadside and 46 on the shoulder.

Analysis of traffic controls present at crash locations shows that a majority of vehicles involved, approximately 74% (1,423 units), were in areas with no traffic control device. Crashes at signalized intersections involved 345 vehicles, while those at locations with stop signs involved 131 vehicles.

The most frequently cited contributing factor for drivers was 'Following too Close / ACDA,' attributed to 240 vehicles. This was followed by 'Failure to Yield' with 172 vehicles and 'Drove off Road' with 150 vehicles. 'Unsafe Speed' was also a significant factor, cited for 123 vehicles involved in crashes.

A total of 91 commercial trucks were involved in crashes during this period. Of these, 53 were identified as semi-tractor-trailers, while the remaining 38 were classified as other types of commercial vehicles.

Crashes involving vulnerable road users and motorcyclists included 30 incidents with motorcyclists, 7 with pedestrians, and 6 with bicyclists. In total, there were 13 crashes involving pedestrians or bicyclists, who are among the most vulnerable users of the roadway.

Collisions with animals accounted for 151 crashes, representing nearly 13% of all incidents in 2021. The vast majority of these, 144 crashes, involved deer. An additional 7 crashes were attributed to collisions with other types of animals.

Impairment was a factor in 64 crashes, accounting for 5.4% of the total. Among these, alcohol was suspected in 36 incidents, drugs in 18, and a combination of alcohol and drugs in 10. These figures represent a baseline, as impairment can be under-reported.

Beyond those noted as 'Apparently Normal', 111 drivers were recorded with a specific condition affecting their ability to drive. The most common was being 'Under the Influence of Medications / Drugs / Alcohol,' noted for 54 drivers. Other conditions included fatigue or falling asleep (23 drivers) and emotional distress (21 drivers).

Among all drivers, at least 96 were noted as being distracted at the time of their crash. The most cited issues were 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' (46 drivers) and 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (31 drivers). Electronic device use was specifically mentioned for 16 drivers, including 7 who were manually operating a device.

While most crashes occurred on straight, level road sections, a significant number happened on more complex alignments. Crashes on curves accounted for 21.3% of all incidents (252 crashes), and 28.1% of crashes occurred on a grade (332 crashes). Crashes at the intersection of these two factors, on a graded curve, totaled 158.

The geographic distribution of crashes was concentrated in a few key areas, with the City of Marietta accounting for 488 crashes, or 41.3% of the county's total. The City of Belpre saw the second-highest volume with 179 crashes, followed by Warren Township with 74 crashes and Muskingum Township with 64.

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was 'Straight Ahead,' which described the movement of 970 vehicles (50.2% of the total). The next most frequent actions were 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic' (274 vehicles) and 'Negotiating a Curve' (230 vehicles).

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common type of incident, with 567 crashes (48% of total) classified as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport'. Among multi-vehicle crashes, rear-end collisions were the most frequent, accounting for 238 incidents (20.2%), followed closely by angle collisions with 235 incidents (19.9%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 851 of the 1,932 vehicles. Sport Utility Vehicles (479 vehicles) and Pick-up trucks (354 vehicles) were also frequently involved. In total, these three types comprised 87% of all vehicles in crashes.

Of the 2,448 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority were drivers, accounting for 1,833 people (74.9%). Passengers ('occupants') comprised the next largest group with 606 individuals (24.8%). A total of 9 pedestrians were also involved in these traffic incidents.

Across all 2,448 people involved in crashes, 7 suffered fatal injuries and 448 sustained some level of injury (serious, minor, or possible). This means that approximately 18.8% of all individuals involved were either injured or killed. The largest group, 1,968 people, reported no injuries.

While the majority of vehicle occupants (2,028 individuals) were recorded as using a shoulder and lap belt, 136 individuals were reported as using no safety equipment at all. This group of unbelted occupants represents 5.6% of all participants for whom safety equipment use was documented.

The most common crash configuration involved two vehicles, accounting for 649 incidents (55.0% of the total). Single-vehicle crashes were also frequent, with 484 incidents making up 41.0% of all crashes. There were 48 crashes involving three or more vehicles, including one incident that involved five vehicles.