436 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

Motorists accounted for the vast majority of casualties, with 3 individuals killed and 160 injured in crashes. Among vulnerable road users, one pedestrian was killed and two were injured. Additionally, one cyclist sustained injuries during the reporting period.

Crashes in Boone County occurred most frequently on Thursdays, with 74 incidents reported. The afternoon commute period, specifically the 3 p.m. hour, was the peak time for crashes with 42 events. The majority of collisions, 252 out of 436, took place during daylight hours.

Of the 436 total crashes, 71.3% (311 incidents) resulted in no injuries and were classified as property-damage-only. The remaining 28.7% of crashes involved some level of injury, including 14 with serious injuries and 61 with possible injuries. There were 4 fatal crashes recorded, which resulted in a total of 4 fatalities.

The most frequently cited contributing factor for crashes was the presence of an animal on the roadway, accounting for 92 incidents or 21.1% of all crashes. Failure to yield the right-of-way from a stop sign was the second leading factor, cited in 47 crashes (10.8%). Losing control of the vehicle was the third most common factor, contributing to 31 crashes (7.1%).

The majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions, with 252 incidents (57.8%) happening on dry road surfaces and an identical number occurring during daylight hours. Clear weather was reported in 209 crashes (47.9%). Adverse conditions were less frequent, with rain noted in 25 incidents and snow in 11.

Analysis of the 861 persons involved in crashes shows the 16-20 age group was the most represented, with 144 individuals, followed by the 26-34 age group with 128 individuals. Among the 690 vehicles involved, Chevrolet (152 vehicles) and Ford (130 vehicles) were the most frequently recorded makes. Dodge vehicles were involved in 64 crashes.

The leading major cause attributed to crashes in Boone County was interaction with an animal, cited in 92 incidents. Failure to yield the right-of-way from a stop sign was the second most common cause, contributing to 47 crashes. This was followed by drivers losing control of their vehicle, which was a factor in 31 crashes.

The most common first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, which occurred in 214 crashes. The second most frequent event was a collision with an animal, recorded in 90 incidents. Run-off-road events were also notable, including 26 rollovers and 21 crashes where the first harmful event was entering a ditch.

Crashes occurred at both intersection and non-intersection locations. Approximately 38.3% of crashes (167 incidents) occurred at non-junction segments of the roadway. Four-way intersections were the most common crash site among junction types, accounting for 111 incidents.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 338 of the vehicles recorded. Light trucks and pickups were the second most frequent type with 134 vehicles, followed by sport utility vehicles with 124. Tractor/semi-trailers were involved in 11 crashes, and motorcycles were involved in 5.

A majority of vehicles involved in crashes were at locations with no traffic controls present, accounting for 423 instances. Stop signs were the most common form of traffic control device noted, present for 120 vehicles involved in crashes. Traffic signals were present for 34 vehicles.

Frontal impacts were the most common area of vehicle damage, recorded in 186 cases. Rear impacts, often indicative of rear-end collisions, were the second most frequent damage location with 63 instances. Damage to the driver's side was noted in 41 cases and the passenger's side in 30 cases, suggesting a significant number of angle collisions.

Driver impairment was noted as a factor in 18 instances recorded in the data. Of these, alcohol was the sole factor in 14 cases, while drugs were a factor in 2 cases, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in another 2 cases. These incidents represent a subset of total crashes where impairment could be determined by the reporting officer.

The majority of crashes within the county occurred in the city of Boone, which recorded 202 incidents. Following Boone, the city of Ogden had 18 crashes and Madrid had 11 crashes. Several other smaller municipalities each recorded five or fewer crashes.

The vast majority of crashes, 397 incidents, occurred on paved roadways. A smaller but notable portion, 36 crashes or approximately 8.3% of the total with known surface type, took place on unpaved surfaces such as gravel or dirt roads.

In a minority of crashes, specific roadway factors were cited as contributors. The most common factor was the road surface condition, such as being wet or icy, which was noted in 40 crashes. A slippery, loose, or worn surface was cited in 4 additional incidents.

While most drivers were recorded as 'apparently normal,' a number of other conditions were noted by officers. Fifteen drivers were identified as being under the influence of alcohol. Driver fatigue or being asleep was cited for 10 drivers, and a medical condition was noted for 3 drivers.

Officer-estimated property damage provides context on crash severity, with the most common damage estimate falling in the $1,500 to $7,500 range for 303 crashes. A total of 118 crashes resulted in damages between $7,500 and $25,000, while 5 crashes incurred damages exceeding $25,000.

Single-vehicle, non-collision events such as running off the road or overturning were the most common type of crash, accounting for 159 incidents or 36.5% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, broadside (angle) collisions were most frequent with 93 incidents (21.3%), followed by rear-end collisions with 67 incidents (15.4%).

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was moving essentially straight, which was the case for 411 vehicles involved in collisions. Turning left was the second most frequent action, recorded for 59 vehicles. A notable number of incidents, 31, involved a vehicle that was legally parked.

Of the 861 people involved in crashes, the vast majority, 830 individuals, were drivers. Passengers accounted for 27 of the people involved. A small number of non-motorists were also involved, including 3 pedestrians and 1 bicyclist.

Across all 861 individuals involved in crashes, a total of 167 sustained some level of injury or were killed. This includes 4 fatalities, 18 serious injuries, 66 minor injuries, and 79 possible injuries. The data shows that 4 individuals were recorded with no injuries from these specific incidents.

Among the subset of crash participants for whom safety equipment use was recorded, 114 were noted as using a shoulder and lap belt. Thirteen individuals were recorded as using no safety equipment. Additionally, 3 participants were noted as wearing a DOT-compliant helmet.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common scenario, accounting for 240 crashes. Single-vehicle crashes were also frequent, with 188 incidents recorded, representing 43.1% of all crashes. Multi-vehicle incidents involving three or more vehicles were rare, with only 7 such crashes reported.