304 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

Of the 94 people killed or injured in crashes, the single fatality was a pedestrian. An additional 5 pedestrians and 5 cyclists were injured. The vast majority of injuries were sustained by motor vehicle occupants, with 82 motorists injured and none killed.

Crash occurrences in Clay County peaked on Wednesdays, which saw 62 incidents, and during the 3 p.m. hour, with 34 crashes recorded. The majority of crashes, 193 out of 304, occurred during daylight hours. Weekdays saw higher crash volumes, with Wednesday (62), Friday (59), and Monday (48) being the most frequent days for incidents.

The majority of crashes, 73.4% (223 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Crashes involving an injury accounted for 80 of the total 304 incidents, with severities ranging from possible (43 crashes) to serious (5 crashes). There was one fatal crash recorded in 2015, which resulted in one fatality.

Collisions involving animals were the leading contributing factor, accounting for 57 crashes, or 18.8% of the total. Failure to yield the right-of-way was also a prominent factor, cited in 22 crashes at stop signs and 14 at uncontrolled intersections. Other significant factors included drivers losing control (21 crashes) and driving too fast for conditions (17 crashes).

A majority of crashes happened in favorable conditions, with 63.5% (193) occurring in daylight, 55.6% (169) in clear weather, and 57.2% (174) on dry road surfaces. However, adverse road surface conditions were present in a notable number of incidents, including 35 crashes on snow, 26 on wet roads, and 11 on ice or frost. Snow was falling in 15 crashes and rain in 14.

Among the 582 people involved in crashes, the most represented age groups were 26-34 years old (96 individuals) and 16-20 years old (87 individuals). Of the 486 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Chevrolet (126 vehicles), Ford (77 vehicles), and Dodge (38 vehicles).

The most frequently cited major cause of crashes was an animal in the roadway, contributing to 57 incidents. Failure to yield the right-of-way was also a prominent cause, with 22 crashes resulting from failing to yield at a stop sign and 14 at an uncontrolled intersection. Losing control of the vehicle was cited in 21 crashes, and driving too fast for conditions contributed to another 17.

The most common first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, which occurred in 157 of the 304 crashes. Collisions with animals were the second most frequent initial event, accounting for 56 incidents. Single-vehicle events were also common, including 24 overturns or rollovers and 20 crashes where the first harmful event was colliding with a ditch.

Crashes were slightly more common on non-intersection road segments, with 127 incidents occurring at non-junction locations. Intersections accounted for 109 crashes, the majority of which (98) happened at four-way intersections. An additional 11 crashes were related to driveway access.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 200 of the 486 vehicles. Sport utility vehicles (107 vehicles) and light trucks or pickups (104 vehicles) were also frequently involved. Commercial vehicles and motorcycles represented a smaller share, with 13 tractor-trailers and 6 motorcycles involved in incidents.

For a majority of vehicles involved in crashes, no traffic controls were present, a situation noted for 286 vehicles. Where traffic controls were a factor, traffic signals were present for 74 vehicles and stop signs for 54 vehicles. Yield signs were noted for 16 vehicles involved in crashes.

Frontal impacts were the most common area of vehicle damage, with 129 vehicles sustaining damage primarily to the front. Side impacts were also frequent, with damage reported to the driver's side on 71 vehicles and the passenger's side on 60 vehicles. Rear-end collisions were indicated by the 46 vehicles that sustained damage to the rear.

Within Clay County, the city of Spencer accounted for the highest volume of crashes, with 177 incidents. The towns of Everly and Dickens followed with 9 crashes each. Other municipalities such as Webb and Greenville recorded 3 crashes apiece.

The vast majority of crashes, 273, occurred on paved roads. Crashes on unpaved surfaces, such as gravel or dirt roads, accounted for 30 incidents, representing nearly 10% of the total for which this data was recorded.

In cases where a roadway factor was identified as contributing to a crash, adverse surface conditions such as wet or icy roads were the most common, cited in 30 incidents. An additional 7 crashes were attributed to a slippery, loose, or worn surface. One crash was related to a work zone.

While most drivers were recorded as 'apparently normal,' several other driver conditions were noted. The most frequently recorded conditions were being under the influence of alcohol (9 drivers) and being asleep or fatigued (8 drivers). An emotional state was cited for 3 drivers, and a medical condition was noted for 2 drivers.

The estimated property damage was most commonly in the $1,500 to $7,500 range, which applied to 229 crashes (75.3%). A smaller number of crashes resulted in higher damage estimates, with 55 incidents falling in the $7,500 to $25,000 range and 3 crashes exceeding $25,000 in damage.

The most frequent type of incident was a non-collision, single-vehicle crash, such as a run-off-road or overturn, which accounted for 114 cases (37.5%). Among multi-vehicle crashes, broadside collisions were the most common with 65 incidents (21.4%), followed by rear-end collisions with 50 incidents (16.4%).

The predominant pre-crash action for vehicles involved was moving essentially straight, which was the case for 298 vehicles. Maneuvering actions were less common, with 37 vehicles turning left and 13 turning right prior to impact. Stationary vehicles were also involved, including 24 legally parked vehicles and 23 vehicles stopped in traffic.

Among the non-motorists whose actions were recorded, the most common action prior to the crash was entering or crossing the roadway, which was noted in 9 instances. Other actions included one case of a person dealing with a disabled vehicle and one person moving along the roadway with traffic.

Of the 582 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority (553, or 95.0%) were drivers of motor vehicles. Passengers accounted for 16 of the individuals, while vulnerable road users included 6 pedestrians and 5 bicyclists.

Across all people involved in crashes, a total of 94 individuals sustained some level of injury or were fatally injured. This included one fatality, 6 serious injuries, 40 minor injuries, and 47 possible injuries. The majority of reported injuries were classified as either minor or possible.

Among the small subset of 49 participants for whom safety equipment use was recorded, 39 were noted as using a shoulder and lap belt. Four individuals were recorded as using no safety equipment. Use of child safety seats was noted for 3 children, and 3 individuals used a DOT-compliant helmet.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common crash configuration, accounting for 157 of the 304 total incidents. Single-vehicle crashes were also very frequent, with 133 incidents recorded, representing 43.8% of all crashes. Crashes involving three vehicles were less common, with 14 such incidents reported.