230 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

In 2015, motorists accounted for all fatalities and the vast majority of injuries in Appanoose County crashes. A total of 2 motorists were killed and 106 were injured. Among vulnerable road users, there were no fatalities; however, 2 pedestrians and 1 cyclist sustained injuries.

Crashes in Appanoose County occurred most frequently on Fridays, which saw 61 incidents in 2015. The peak time for crashes was the 6 p.m. hour with 16 events, a count also matched by the noon hour. Overall, more crashes happened during daylight hours (112) than in dark or low-light conditions (72).

The majority of crashes, 63.5% (146 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Collisions involving an injury of any severity—from possible to fatal—accounted for 36.5% of incidents. There were 2 fatal crashes recorded, which resulted in a total of 2 fatalities.

The most common contributing factor cited in crashes was an animal, which was involved in 61 incidents, or 26.5% of the total. Following this, 'Lost Control' was a factor in 24 crashes (10.4%). Other significant factors included running off the road, which collectively accounted for 28 crashes between running off to the left, right, or straight.

A majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions, with 61.3% (141 crashes) happening on dry roads and 55.7% (128 crashes) in clear weather. Crashes during daylight hours accounted for 48.7% (112) of all incidents. Adverse weather conditions such as rain or snow were present in a smaller number of crashes, with rain being the most frequent among them at 12 incidents.

Analysis of persons involved in crashes shows the 16-20 age group was the most represented, with 83 individuals, followed by the 26-34 age group with 78 individuals. Among the 327 vehicles involved, Chevrolet was the most frequent make with 70 vehicles, followed by Ford with 60 and Dodge with 40.

The leading major cause of crashes was interaction with an animal, cited in 61 incidents (26.5% of total). 'Lost Control' was the second most frequent cause, contributing to 24 crashes (10.4%). Other notable causes included running off the road (28 incidents combined) and driver distraction from an interior source (11 incidents).

The most common first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, occurring in 76 crashes. The second most frequent event was a collision with an animal, which initiated 60 crashes. Collisions with fixed objects, such as a ditch (19 crashes), tree (6 crashes), or utility pole (6 crashes), were also a significant category of initial impacts.

The majority of crashes occurred at non-intersection locations, with 105 incidents recorded on road segments with no special feature. Crashes at intersections were less common, with four-way intersections being the most frequent type, accounting for 26 incidents, followed by T-intersections with 19 incidents. Driveway-related crashes accounted for another 20 incidents.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 137 of the 327 vehicles. Light trucks and pickups were the second most common with 72 vehicles, followed by sport utility vehicles with 65. Commercial tractor-trailers were involved in 8 incidents, and motorcycles were involved in 5.

The vast majority of crashes, 210 incidents, occurred where no traffic controls were present. Stop signs were the most common form of traffic control at crash locations where a device was present, noted in 33 incidents. Traffic signals were a factor in 19 crashes.

Frontal impacts were the most common area of damage, recorded on 69 vehicles, with an additional 53 vehicles damaged on a front corner. Side impacts were also frequent, while damage to the rear of the vehicle was noted in 19 instances, suggesting a notable share of rear-end collisions.

Within Appanoose County, the city of Centerville accounted for the largest number of crashes with 90 incidents. The town of Moulton recorded the next highest volume with 8 crashes. Following them were Moravia and Mystic, each with 4 reported crashes.

Crashes on paved roads were far more common, accounting for 193 incidents. However, a notable 36 crashes, or approximately 15.7% of the total where surface type was recorded, occurred on unpaved surfaces such as gravel or dirt roads.

Roadway factors were cited as contributors in a minority of crashes. The most common factor was the road surface condition, such as being wet or icy, noted in 9 incidents. Work zones were a contributing factor in 6 crashes, and a slippery or loose surface was noted in 4 crashes.

In cases where a driver's condition was recorded as something other than 'apparently normal,' being under the influence of alcohol was the most frequent, noted for 11 drivers. Emotional state, such as anger or depression, was cited for 6 drivers, and fatigue or falling asleep was a factor for 3 drivers.

The estimated property damage was most commonly in the $1,500 to $7,500 range, which applied to 188 crashes, or 81.7% of the total. A smaller number of crashes resulted in higher damage, with 29 incidents falling in the $7,500 to $25,000 range and 2 crashes exceeding $25,000 in estimated damage.

Nearly half of all crashes, 107 incidents or 46.5%, were non-collision events involving a single vehicle, such as running off the road or overturning. Among multi-vehicle crashes, rear-end collisions were the most frequent type, accounting for 36 incidents (15.7%). Broadside collisions were the next most common, with 18 reported cases.

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was moving essentially straight, which was the case for 180 vehicles. Turning left was the second most frequent action, recorded for 26 vehicles. Backing was also a notable pre-crash maneuver, involved in 23 instances.

Of the 440 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority were drivers, accounting for 407 people. Passengers made up the next largest group with 30 individuals. A small number of non-motorists were also involved, including 2 pedestrians and 1 bicyclist.

Among all persons for whom an injury status was recorded, 2 individuals sustained fatal injuries. An additional 109 people were injured, with 16 classified as serious, 42 as minor, and 51 as possible injuries. Only 2 individuals in this group were explicitly recorded as having no injuries.

Based on the limited data available for safety equipment usage, 70 individuals were recorded as using a shoulder and lap belt. A notable 17 individuals were documented as using no safety equipment at all. This represents 18.9% of the occupants for whom restraint use was specified.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common type of incident, accounting for 135 crashes or 58.7% of the total. Crashes involving two vehicles were also frequent, with 93 incidents. There were only two crashes recorded that involved three vehicles.