171 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

In 2015, motorists accounted for all fatalities, with 2 killed and 72 injured in crashes. While no pedestrians or cyclists were killed, 4 pedestrians and 1 cyclist sustained injuries. These figures highlight that vehicle occupants bore the most severe outcomes from traffic collisions in the county.

Crashes in Cherokee County during 2015 occurred most frequently on Fridays, with 31 incidents recorded, closely followed by Mondays with 29. The single busiest hour for crashes was the 5 p.m. commute hour, which saw 20 collisions. A majority of crashes, 87 out of 171, happened during daylight hours, compared to 35 that occurred in dark conditions.

Out of 171 total crashes, 118 (69%) resulted in no injuries, while the remaining 31% involved at least a possible injury. There were 2 fatal crashes, which accounted for 1.2% of all incidents. These 2 crashes resulted in a total of 2 fatalities.

The most frequently cited contributing factor in Cherokee County crashes was 'Animal,' involved in 41 incidents (24%). Other significant factors included 'Driving too fast for conditions' with 15 crashes (8.8%), 'Followed too close' with 14 crashes (8.2%), and 'Lost Control' with 12 crashes (7%).

The majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions, with 109 incidents (63.7%) happening in clear weather and 95 (55.6%) on dry road surfaces. Over half of all crashes, 87 in total (50.9%), took place during daylight hours. Adverse conditions were less common, with snow or ice on the road surface noted in a combined 20 crashes.

Analysis of persons involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was most represented, with 65 individuals, followed by the 16-20 age group with 54 individuals. Among the 256 vehicles involved, Chevrolet (64 vehicles) and Ford (43 vehicles) were the most frequent makes recorded in crash reports. Dodge (23 vehicles) and GMC (16 vehicles) were also commonly involved.

The leading major cause of crashes as coded by the Iowa DOT was 'Animal,' which was attributed to 41 incidents, or 24% of the total. Following this, 'Driving too fast for conditions' was cited in 15 crashes (8.8%), and 'Followed too close' was the cause for 14 crashes (8.2%). 'Lost Control' was also a significant factor, contributing to 12 crashes.

The most common first harmful event was a 'Collision with a Vehicle in traffic,' which occurred in 67 crashes. Collisions with animals were the second most frequent event, recorded in 41 incidents. Single-vehicle run-off-road events were also common, with 20 crashes involving a collision with a ditch and 13 involving an overturn or rollover.

A majority of crashes, 89 out of 171 (52%), occurred at non-junction locations along a roadway. Intersections were the site of 38 crashes, with four-way intersections being the most common type, accounting for 31 of these incidents. An additional 7 crashes were related to driveway access points.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 107 of the 256 vehicles. Light trucks and pickups were the second most frequent with 58 vehicles, followed closely by sport utility vehicles at 50. Tractor/semi-trailers were involved in 13 incidents, representing 5.1% of all vehicles in crashes.

For vehicles involved in crashes where traffic control was documented, the vast majority (177 instances) were noted as having 'No controls present'. Stop signs were the most common form of traffic control device present, recorded for 26 vehicles involved in crashes. Traffic signals were present for 9 vehicles.

The front of the vehicle was the most common area of impact, with 'Front' listed as the most damaged area in 55 instances and front corners in another 42. Side impacts were also frequent, with 20 vehicles sustaining damage to the driver's side middle area. Rear-end collisions were indicated by 18 vehicles having the rear as the most-damaged area.

Within the county, the city of Cherokee experienced the highest volume of crashes with 61 incidents. Other municipalities saw significantly fewer crashes, with Marcus recording 6, Washta recording 3, and Larrabee recording 2. The remaining crashes occurred in smaller towns or in unincorporated areas of the county.

Of the crashes where road surface type was recorded, 21 incidents, or 12.5%, occurred on unpaved roads such as gravel or dirt. The vast majority of crashes, 147 in total, took place on paved surfaces. This highlights the role of the county's secondary road network in traffic incidents.

In a minority of crashes, specific roadway factors were identified as contributors. The most common was 'Surface condition,' such as wet or icy roads, cited in 14 crashes. A 'Slippery, loose or worn surface' was noted in another 8 crashes, while a work zone was a factor in just one incident.

Among drivers for whom a condition other than 'apparently normal' was recorded, being under the influence of alcohol was the most frequent, noted for 10 drivers. Driver fatigue was also a factor, with 5 drivers recorded as being asleep or fatigued at the time of their crash. These numbers represent a subset of all drivers involved in crashes.

The estimated property damage was between $1,500 and $7,500 for the majority of incidents, a total of 131 crashes. A smaller number of crashes resulted in higher damage, with 23 incidents estimated between $7,500 and $25,000. Eleven crashes, representing 6.4% of the total, were classified with severe property damage exceeding $25,000.

Single-vehicle crashes, categorized as 'Non-collision' events like running off the road or overturning, were the most common type, accounting for 78 incidents or 45.6% of all crashes. Among multi-vehicle collisions, rear-end crashes were the most frequent, with 23 incidents (13.5%), followed closely by broadside collisions with 22 incidents (12.9%).

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was 'Movement essentially straight,' recorded for 151 of the 256 vehicles involved. Turning left was the next most frequent action, documented for 23 vehicles. An additional 11 vehicles were legally parked when they were struck.

The vast majority of individuals involved in crashes were drivers, accounting for 307 of the 337 people recorded. Passengers made up the next largest group with 24 individuals. A small number of non-motorists were also involved, including 4 pedestrians and 1 bicyclist.

Across all 337 people involved in crashes, 2 individuals sustained fatal injuries and 9 suffered serious injuries. An additional 35 people had minor injuries and 34 had possible injuries. The remaining individuals were either not injured or their injury status was not recorded.

Among the occupants for whom safety equipment use was documented, 52 were recorded as using a shoulder and lap belt. Conversely, 11 occupants were recorded as using no safety restraints at the time of the crash. Data on safety equipment use was not available for the majority of vehicle occupants.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common scenario, accounting for 90 of the 171 total incidents (52.6%). Crashes involving two vehicles were also frequent, with 78 occurrences. Multi-vehicle pile-ups were rare, with only 2 crashes involving three vehicles and one crash involving four.