1,238 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

In 2021, motorists accounted for the vast majority of persons killed or seriously injured, with 7 fatalities and 384 injuries. One pedestrian was killed and four were injured in five separate incidents. No bicyclists were killed or injured during this period.

Crash patterns in Williams County show a peak on Fridays, with 217 incidents, followed by Wednesdays (204) and Thursdays (196). The single hour with the most crashes was 6 a.m., which saw 93 incidents. Crashes were distributed throughout the day, with 601 occurring in daylight and 630 taking place in dark, dawn, or dusk conditions.

The vast majority of crashes, 79.2% (980 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Injury-related crashes accounted for 20.3% of the total, including 25 serious injury crashes, 172 minor injury crashes, and 54 with possible injuries. There were 7 distinct fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 8 fatalities, indicating at least one crash involved multiple deaths.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 7 fatal crash events resulted in 8 persons killed.

A significant majority of crashes occurred in favorable conditions. Specifically, 957 crashes (77.3%) happened on dry road surfaces and 725 (58.6%) in clear weather. Crashes in adverse weather included 114 in rain and 55 in snow. Similarly, 205 crashes occurred on wet roads and 61 on snow-covered surfaces.

Among the 2,341 people involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 374 individuals, followed by the 45-54 age group (336). An analysis of the 1,793 vehicles involved shows that Chevrolet (328), Ford (311), and Freightliner (130) were the most frequent makes recorded in crash reports. Dodge (129) and Jeep (77) were also commonly involved.

The initial point of impact for most crashes was on the primary roadway, accounting for 958 incidents. However, a notable number of crashes involved vehicles leaving the travel lanes. A combined 203 crashes, or 16.4% of the total, first occurred on the roadside (147), shoulder (46), or in the median (10), indicating a significant pattern of run-off-road events.

Analysis of the 1,793 vehicles in crashes shows that the majority were at locations with no traffic controls present, accounting for 1,437 vehicles. Locations with traffic signals were the site of crashes for 178 vehicles, while 157 vehicles were in crashes at intersections controlled by a stop sign. A small number of incidents occurred at locations with flashers (12), yield signs (5), or roundabouts (3).

Among driver actions cited as contributing factors, 'Following too Close / ACDA' was the most common, noted for 167 vehicles. This was followed by 'Drove off Road' for 143 vehicles and 'Failure to Yield' for 115 vehicles. Other significant factors included 'Unsafe Speed' (61 vehicles) and 'Improper Backing' (55 vehicles).

Crashes involving commercial trucks were a notable component of the total, with 248 such vehicles recorded. Of these, the majority (226) were semi-tractor trailers. The remaining 22 were classified as other types of commercial vehicles.

A total of 22 crashes involved motorcyclists or vulnerable road users. Motorcyclists were involved in 16 of these incidents. The remaining crashes involved pedestrians (5) and a bicyclist (1), for a combined total of 6 incidents involving vulnerable road users.

Collisions with animals were a major factor in Williams County crashes, with 436 such incidents reported. The vast majority of these, 421 crashes, specifically involved deer. These animal-related crashes represent 35.2% of all crashes in the county for the year.

Impairment was a factor in 46 crashes, representing 3.7% of all incidents. Alcohol was suspected in 29 of these cases, drugs were suspected in 10 cases, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 7 cases. These figures represent a minimum, as impairment may not always be determined at the scene.

Beyond impairment, other driver conditions were noted in a minority of cases. At least 38 drivers were believed to be under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol. An additional 23 drivers were reported to have fallen asleep, fainted, or been fatigued, while illness was cited for 5 drivers.

Among the 1,719 drivers involved in crashes, a specific distraction was identified for a small subset. The most cited distractions included 'Other distraction outside the vehicle' (18 drivers), 'Other distraction inside the vehicle' (16 drivers), and distraction by a 'Passenger' (9 drivers). Use of an electronic device was noted for 15 drivers.

The majority of crashes, 1,005 incidents, occurred on straight and level sections of roadway. However, road geometry played a role in a portion of crashes, with 185 incidents taking place on a grade and 63 occurring on a curve. Fifteen of these crashes happened on sections that were both curved and graded.

The 1,238 crashes in Williams County were distributed across its various townships and municipalities. The highest concentrations were in Northwest Township (153 crashes), the city of Bryan (128 crashes), and both Jefferson and Pulaski townships (126 crashes each). Center Township followed with 112 reported crashes.

An analysis of the actions of the 1,793 vehicles prior to impact shows that the majority were performing normal driving maneuvers. Most vehicles, 1,181 in total, were proceeding straight ahead. The next most common pre-crash action was slowing or stopping in traffic, which was reported for 215 vehicles.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common type of incident, categorized as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport' and accounting for 774 crashes, or 62.5% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, angle collisions were most frequent with 155 incidents (12.5%), followed closely by rear-end collisions with 153 incidents (12.4%).

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 575 units recorded. Sport Utility Vehicles (403) and Pick-ups (326) were also frequently involved. Notably, 307 Semi-Tractors were involved in crashes, highlighting a significant presence of commercial truck traffic in county incidents.

Of the 2,341 people involved in crashes, the majority were drivers, accounting for 1,719 individuals. An additional 616 people were vehicle occupants or passengers. A small but significant number, 6 individuals, were pedestrians involved in collisions.

Out of 2,341 people involved in crashes, 396 sustained some level of injury or were killed. This includes 8 fatalities, 34 serious injuries, 244 minor injuries, and 110 possible injuries. The vast majority of individuals, 1,910 people, were not injured in their respective incidents.

Among vehicle occupants for whom safety equipment use was recorded, 1,917 were using both a shoulder and lap belt. However, 120 individuals were reported as using no safety restraints at all. Additionally, 81 children were secured in various child restraint systems.

The data shows a predominance of single-vehicle crashes, with 737 such incidents, making up 59.5% of the total. Two-vehicle collisions were the next most common, with 457 incidents. Multi-vehicle pile-ups were rare, with only 35 crashes involving three vehicles and 8 involving four vehicles.