1,931 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

Motor vehicle occupants represented the largest group of casualties, with 2 motorists killed and 566 injured. One pedestrian was killed and 15 others were injured in collisions. While no bicyclists were killed, 10 sustained injuries during the year.

Crashes occurred most frequently on Fridays, with 372 incidents, and the peak time for collisions was the 12 p.m. hour, with 157 crashes. A significant majority of crashes, 1,272 or 65.9%, happened during daylight hours. The period from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. saw the highest concentration of crashes throughout the day.

The majority of crashes, 76% (1,468 incidents), resulted in no injuries and involved only property damage. The remaining 24% of crashes resulted in an injury or fatality. This includes 3 fatal crashes, which led to a total of 3 deaths during the year.

The most common contributing factor cited was a vehicle running off the road to the left, which accounted for 440 crashes or 22.8% of the total. Collisions with an animal were the second-leading factor with 204 incidents (10.6%), followed by a driver losing control, which was cited in 123 crashes (6.4%).

A majority of collisions occurred in ideal driving conditions, with 65.9% taking place in daylight and 65.1% on dry road surfaces. Similarly, 52.1% of crashes happened in clear weather. Crashes in adverse conditions included 134 in rain, 119 in snow, and 262 on wet roads.

Among the 3,447 vehicles involved in crashes, the most frequent makes were Chevrolet (801), Ford (438), and Toyota (255). Analyzing the demographics of the 4,051 people involved, the 26-34 age group was the most represented with 637 individuals. The 45-54 age group (556 people) and the 16-20 age group (548 people) were also highly represented.

The leading major cause of crashes was a vehicle running off the road to the left, cited in 440 incidents (22.8%). Collisions involving an animal were the second-most common cause at 204 crashes (10.6%). The third-leading cause was a driver losing control of their vehicle, which accounted for 123 crashes (6.4%).

The most common initial event in a crash was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, which occurred in 1,249 incidents (64.7%). The second-most frequent event was a collision with an animal, accounting for 198 crashes. Collisions with fixed objects were also common, including impacts with ditches (73), utility poles (40), and curbs (36).

Over half of the crashes (54.8%) occurred at non-intersection locations, with 929 of these happening on straight or curved road segments. Approximately 34.9% of crashes took place at intersections, where four-way intersections were the most common type, accounting for 445 incidents.

Passenger cars were the most prevalent vehicle type, involved in 1,844 instances, followed by sport utility vehicles (733) and light trucks or pickups (434). Tractor/semi-trailers were involved in 60 crashes, and motorcycles were involved in 42 crashes.

A majority of vehicles involved in crashes (58%) were in areas with no traffic controls present. Where traffic controls were a factor, traffic signals were the most common device, present for 824 vehicles involved in collisions. Stop signs were the second-most common control, present for 349 vehicles.

The front of the vehicle was the most frequently damaged area, recorded for 887 vehicles. The rear of the vehicle was the second-most common point of impact with 430 instances, indicating a high proportion of rear-end collisions. Side impacts were also frequent, distributed across various points on the driver and passenger sides.

A total of 58 crashes, representing 3% of all incidents, were recorded as involving an impaired driver. Among the 63 drivers identified as being under the influence, alcohol was the primary substance in 54 cases. Drugs were a factor for 6 drivers, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted for 3 drivers.

Within the county, the City of Dubuque experienced the highest volume of traffic incidents, with 1,477 crashes reported in 2015. Dyersville had the second-highest count with 49 crashes, followed by Sageville with 16 crashes. These three municipalities represent the top locations for crashes in the region.

The overwhelming majority of crashes, 1,919 in total, occurred on paved roadways. In contrast, only 11 crashes, representing approximately 0.6% of the total, were recorded on unpaved surfaces such as gravel or dirt roads.

When a roadway factor was identified as a contributor to a crash, adverse surface conditions like wet or icy pavement were the leading cause, cited in 206 incidents. Other noted factors included a slippery or worn surface in 10 crashes and the presence of a work zone in 8 crashes.

Among drivers recorded with a condition other than 'apparently normal,' the most frequent was being under the influence of alcohol, noted for 65 drivers. Driver fatigue or falling asleep was the next most common condition, recorded for 20 drivers, followed by a pre-existing medical condition for 14 drivers.

The most common range for estimated property damage was between $1,500 and $7,500, which applied to 1,470 crashes. A small fraction of incidents, 21 crashes or 1.1% of the total, resulted in severe damage estimated at over $25,000.

Rear-end collisions were the most frequent type of crash, accounting for 512 incidents or 26.5% of all crashes. Single-vehicle, non-collision events, such as running off the road, were the second-most common type with 478 incidents (24.8%). Broadside collisions were the third-most frequent, with 323 incidents (16.7%).

The most common action of vehicles immediately before a crash was moving straight ahead, which was the case for 1,905 of the 3,447 vehicles involved (55.3%). Turning left was the second-most frequent pre-crash action, recorded for 334 vehicles (9.7%), followed by slowing or stopping for 216 vehicles (6.3%).

For the 26 crashes involving pedestrians or bicyclists where an action was specified, the most common behavior was entering or crossing the roadway. This action was recorded in 19 instances, accounting for the majority of these vulnerable user incidents.

Drivers comprised the vast majority of individuals involved in crashes, accounting for 3,908 of the 4,051 people recorded (96.5%). Passengers were the next largest group with 116 individuals. The remaining persons involved included 16 pedestrians and 10 bicyclists.

Of the 4,051 people involved in crashes, a total of 595 were either injured or killed. This included 3 fatalities, 18 serious injuries, 158 minor injuries, and 416 possible injuries. The remaining individuals were not recorded as having sustained an injury.

In the subset of 447 vehicle occupants for whom safety equipment use was recorded, 401 (89.7%) were using a shoulder and lap belt. Twenty-six individuals in this group, or 5.8%, were noted as not using any safety restraint at the time of the collision.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common crash configuration, accounting for 1,259 incidents (65.2% of the total). Single-vehicle crashes were the second-most frequent type with 553 incidents (28.6%). Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, making up the remaining 6.2% of incidents.