55 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

All crash casualties involved motor vehicle occupants, as there were no recorded fatalities or injuries involving pedestrians or cyclists. In total, one motorist was killed and 18 motorists were injured during this period.

Crash occurrences peaked on Thursdays, with 11 incidents recorded on this day of the week. The evening hour of 9 PM was the single most frequent time for crashes, accounting for 9 events. August saw the highest monthly crash total with 9 incidents, including the year's only fatality.

Out of 55 total crashes, 18 incidents resulted in an injury or fatality, while the majority, 67.3% (37 crashes), involved no injuries. One crash was classified as fatal, leading to one death. An additional 17 crashes resulted in either minor or possible injuries.

Encounters with animals were the leading contributing factor, cited in 16 crashes, which constitutes 29.1% of all incidents. Speed-related issues were also prominent, with 'Exceeded authorized speed' noted in 6 crashes (10.9%) and 'Driving too fast for conditions' in another 3 crashes (5.5%).

A majority of crashes occurred in favorable conditions, with 58.2% happening in daylight and 63.6% on dry road surfaces. Clear weather was reported for 26 of the 55 crashes. Adverse conditions were less frequent, with rain present in 5 crashes and snow or ice contributing to 3 incidents.

The most frequently involved vehicle makes were Ford (17 vehicles), Chevrolet (14 vehicles), and Dodge (9 vehicles). Among the 96 individuals involved in crashes, the 65+ age group was the largest demographic with 18 people, followed closely by the 16-20 age group with 16 people.

The most common major cause attributed to crashes was an animal in the roadway, accounting for 16 incidents. 'Exceeded authorized speed' was the second-leading cause with 6 crashes. Other significant causes included running off the road and driving too fast for conditions, each cited in 3 crashes.

The most frequent initial event in a crash sequence was a collision with an animal, which occurred in 16 incidents. The second most common event was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, documented in 13 crashes. Run-off-road events also occurred, leading to collisions with a ditch (5 crashes) or an overturn (4 crashes).

The majority of crashes, 35 out of 55, occurred at non-intersection locations. Intersections accounted for 13 crashes, with 8 of those taking place at four-way intersections and 5 at T-intersections.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in collisions, accounting for 34 of the 74 vehicles documented. Four-tire light trucks and pickups were the second most prevalent with 18 vehicles, followed by sport utility vehicles with 8. Three tractor-trailers and one motorcycle were also involved in crashes.

The vast majority of crashes occurred in areas where no traffic controls were present, a situation noted in 52 instances. For crashes where traffic controls were a factor, stop signs were the most common device, present in 11 instances.

Frontal impacts were the most common area of vehicle damage, recorded for 14 vehicles. Rear impacts, often indicative of rear-end collisions, were the second most frequent with 7 instances, followed by impacts to the front-passenger side corner, also with 7 instances.

Crashes were most concentrated in Corning, which saw 18 incidents, followed by Prescott with 6 and Nodaway with 2. A significant portion of crashes, 29 out of the total 55, occurred in unincorporated areas outside of these listed municipalities.

Crashes predominantly occurred on paved roads, which accounted for 48 of the 55 total incidents. Seven crashes, representing 12.7% of the total, took place on unpaved surfaces such as gravel or dirt roads.

The most common estimated property damage cost fell within the $1,500 to $7,500 range, which was assigned to 36 crashes. Sixteen crashes resulted in damages estimated between $7,500 and $25,000, while only one crash was estimated to have damage exceeding $25,000.

Single-vehicle, non-collision events were the dominant crash type, accounting for 34 incidents, or 61.8% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, the most common type was a rear-end collision, which occurred in 7 incidents (12.7%).

The most common action for vehicles immediately before a crash was moving straight ahead, which was the case for 47 of the 74 vehicles involved. Turning left was the next most frequent pre-crash action, recorded for 6 vehicles.

Of the 96 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority were drivers, accounting for 91 people. The remaining 5 individuals were passengers. No other person types, such as pedestrians or cyclists, were recorded in any crash.

A total of 19 people sustained injuries or were killed in crashes during this period. This included one fatality, 4 individuals with minor injuries, and 14 with possible injuries. The remaining individuals involved were not injured.

Among the small subset of 15 vehicle occupants for whom safety equipment use was recorded, 10 were noted as using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 5 individuals in this group were recorded as using no safety equipment at all.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most frequent type, accounting for 37 of the 55 incidents (67.3%). Crashes involving two vehicles occurred 17 times, and there was one reported crash that involved three vehicles.