3,250 CRASHES IN
OHIO, OH
2021

Of the 1,007 people killed or injured in crashes, motorists comprised the vast majority, with 13 fatalities and 979 injuries. There were no cyclist fatalities or injuries reported. However, 15 pedestrians were injured in collisions, though none fatally.

Crash analysis reveals distinct temporal patterns, with Friday being the most frequent day for crashes, recording 543 incidents. The single busiest hour was the 3 p.m. hour, with 280 crashes, indicating a peak during the afternoon commute. Overall, 2,019 crashes, or 62.1% of the total, occurred during daylight hours.

The majority of crashes, 78.4% (2,547 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Injury-related crashes, including serious, minor, and possible injuries, accounted for 21.3% of the total. The 3,250 crashes included 11 fatal incidents, which resulted in a total of 13 deaths.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 11 fatal crash events resulted in 13 persons killed.

A significant majority of crashes occurred in favorable conditions. Crashes on dry road surfaces accounted for 75.7% of the total (2,459 incidents), while 61.8% (2,007 incidents) happened in clear weather. Similarly, 62.1% of crashes (2,019) took place in daylight. Crashes in adverse conditions included 346 in rain and 595 on wet roads.

Among the 7,094 people involved in crashes, the 16-20 age group was the most represented with 1,066 individuals, closely followed by the 26-34 age group with 1,063 individuals. An analysis of the 5,464 vehicles involved shows that Ford was the most frequent make with 894 vehicles, followed by Chevrolet with 841 and Honda with 414.

The initial point of impact for most crashes was on the primary roadway, accounting for 2,587 incidents. A notable portion of crashes were run-off-road events, with 187 occurring on the roadside, 174 on the shoulder, and 44 in the median. Combined, these off-roadway locations represent the first harmful event in 12.5% of all crashes.

Analysis of the 5,440 vehicles with traffic control data shows that a majority were involved in crashes at locations with no traffic controls present, accounting for 3,546 vehicles (65.2%). Crashes at signalized intersections involved 1,240 vehicles (22.8%), while those at stop signs involved 514 vehicles (9.4%).

Among driver-related actions contributing to crashes, 'Following too Close / ACDA' was the most cited factor, attributed to 724 drivers. 'Failure to Yield' was the second most common factor with 510 instances, followed by 'Drove off Road' with 364 instances. These top three factors represent a significant portion of identified driver errors.

A total of 379 commercial trucks were involved in crashes during this period. Of these, 297 were identified as semi-tractor-trailers, while the remaining 82 were classified as other types of commercial vehicles.

In 2021, there were 41 crashes involving motorcyclists. In addition, there were 23 crashes involving vulnerable road users, which included 14 crashes with pedestrians and 9 with bicyclists.

Crashes involving animals accounted for 387 incidents, representing 11.9% of all crashes in the county. The vast majority of these, 366 crashes, involved collisions with deer. The remaining 21 incidents involved other, unspecified animals.

Impairment was a factor in 146 crashes, or 4.5% of the total. Alcohol was the sole factor in 116 of these incidents, while drugs were a factor in 21 cases and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 9 cases.

Among the 5,276 drivers involved in crashes, a small but significant number were noted to have a condition other than 'Apparently Normal'. This includes 111 drivers who were under the influence of medications, drugs, or alcohol, and 36 drivers who reportedly fell asleep, fainted, or were fatigued. An additional 17 drivers had a physical impairment and 13 were noted as ill.

Out of 5,276 drivers, 220 were identified as being distracted at the time of their crash. The most common sources of distraction were 'other distraction inside the vehicle' (92 drivers) and 'other distraction outside the vehicle' (60 drivers). Electronic device use was also noted, with 21 drivers manually operating a device and 26 engaged in another activity with an electronic device.

The roadway geometry was straight and level for 2,640 crashes, representing the majority of incidents. However, a notable number occurred on non-level or curved roads, with 12.3% of crashes (401) happening on a grade and 11.5% (374) occurring on a curve.

The geographic distribution of crashes was highly concentrated, with the top three municipalities accounting for over half of all incidents. Perrysburg had the highest number with 904 crashes, followed by Bowling Green with 539 and Rossford with 282. Together, these three locations represent 53.1% of the county's total crashes.

An analysis of what the 5,464 vehicles were doing just before impact shows that most were 'Straight Ahead' (3,066 vehicles, or 56.1%). The second most common pre-crash action was 'Slowing or Stopped In Traffic,' which was reported for 824 vehicles (15.1%). Making a left turn was the third most frequent action, noted for 433 vehicles.

The most common type of crash was a single-vehicle incident, classified as 'Not Collision Between Two Vehicles in Transport,' which accounted for 1,318 crashes (40.6%). Among multi-vehicle crashes, rear-end collisions were the most frequent, with 756 incidents, representing 23.3% of all crashes.

Of the 5,464 vehicles involved in crashes, passenger cars were the most common type, accounting for 2,416 vehicles (44.2%). Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) were the second most frequent with 1,408 vehicles, followed by pickup trucks with 693. Commercial vehicles, including semi-tractors and single-unit trucks, were involved in 7.5% of collisions.

A total of 7,094 people were involved in crashes, with drivers being the largest group at 5,276 individuals (74.4%). Passengers (occupants) accounted for another 1,803 people (25.4%). A small fraction of those involved were pedestrians, with 15 individuals recorded.

Among the 7,094 individuals involved in crashes, 1,007 people (14.2%) sustained an injury or were killed. This includes 13 fatalities, 106 serious injuries, 481 minor injuries, and 407 possible injuries. The vast majority, 5,976 people, were not injured.

Safety equipment usage was recorded for 6,395 vehicle occupants. While the majority (5,665) used a shoulder and lap belt, 298 individuals were recorded as using no safety equipment at all. This group represents 4.7% of occupants for whom restraint use was known.

The data shows that two-vehicle collisions were the most common scenario, accounting for 1,928 crashes (59.3%). Single-vehicle crashes were the next most frequent type, with 1,189 incidents, making up 36.6% of the total. Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, with 133 such incidents recorded.