184 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

In 2015, both traffic fatalities in Greene County were motorists, and an additional 74 motorists were injured. There were no cyclist fatalities or injuries reported during this period. One pedestrian was injured in a crash, but there were no pedestrian fatalities.

Crashes in Greene County occurred most frequently on Thursdays and Fridays, with each day accounting for 30 incidents. The afternoon hours were the most common time for crashes, with a peak between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM, during which 50 crashes occurred. The majority of collisions, 120 out of 184, happened during daylight hours.

Of the 184 crashes recorded, 29.9% resulted in some level of injury, while 70.1% were classified as having no injuries. There were 2 fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 2 fatalities. The remaining injury crashes included 6 with serious injuries, 20 with minor injuries, and 27 with possible injuries.

The most common contributing factor cited in crashes was an animal, involved in 34 incidents (18.5%). Other leading factors included drivers losing control (17 crashes), driving too fast for conditions (15 crashes), and running off a straight road (13 crashes). Failure to yield right of way at uncontrolled intersections also accounted for 13 crashes.

The vast majority of crashes occurred in favorable environmental conditions. Clear weather was reported in 112 of the 184 crashes (60.9%), and the road surface was dry in 114 incidents (62.0%). Similarly, 120 crashes, or 65.2% of the total, took place in daylight.

Among the 364 people involved in crashes, the 16-20 age group was the most represented with 64 individuals, followed by the 45-54 age group with 56 individuals. Of the 285 vehicles involved, Ford and Chevrolet were the most frequent makes, each appearing 57 times in the crash data.

The leading major cause of crashes was interaction with an animal, accounting for 34 incidents. Following this, 17 crashes were attributed to a driver losing control, and 15 were due to driving too fast for conditions. Failure to yield at uncontrolled intersections and from stop signs were also significant factors, contributing to 13 and 12 crashes, respectively.

The most frequent first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, occurring in 69 crashes. The second most common event was a collision with an animal, which initiated 34 crashes. Run-off-road events were also prevalent, with 19 crashes involving a ditch and 16 involving an overturn or rollover.

The data indicates that a majority of crashes occurred away from intersections, with 104 incidents happening on non-junction road segments. Four-way intersections were the most common crash location among junction types, accounting for 39 incidents. T-intersections were the site of another 13 crashes.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 110 units recorded. Sport utility vehicles and four-tire light trucks (pick-ups) were also frequently involved, each with 64 units. Tractor/semi-trailers were involved in 7 crashes, and motorcycles were involved in 4 crashes.

A large majority of vehicles involved in crashes were in areas with no traffic controls present, a situation recorded for 226 vehicles. Where controls were present, stop signs were the most common type, noted for 35 vehicles involved in collisions. A small number of incidents involved vehicles in marked no-passing zones (4).

Front-end impacts were the most common area of vehicle damage, with the primary front area being the most damaged point in 84 vehicles. Front-corner impacts were also frequent, with 23 instances on the driver-side corner and 23 on the passenger-side corner. Rear-end damage was noted as the primary impact point for 22 vehicles.

Within Greene County, the city of Jefferson experienced the highest number of crashes in 2015, with 70 incidents. Grand Junction followed with 8 crashes, and Scranton had 4 crashes. The remaining incidents were distributed among Churdan (2), Ralston (1), and Rippey (1), or occurred outside of any city's limits.

Crashes on paved roads were far more common than on unpaved surfaces. Of the incidents where this was specified, 156 crashes occurred on paved roadways. In contrast, 28 crashes, representing 15.2% of the total, took place on unpaved roads.

In the minority of crashes where a roadway factor was cited, the most common was the surface condition, such as being wet or icy, which was noted in 15 incidents. A slippery, loose, or worn surface was a factor in 2 crashes. An obstruction in the roadway and ruts or holes each contributed to one crash.

Among drivers for whom a condition other than 'apparently normal' was noted, 11 were recorded as being under the influence of alcohol. An emotional state, such as being depressed or angry, was cited for 8 drivers. Being asleep or fatigued was the condition for 3 drivers involved in crashes.

The most common estimated property damage cost was in the $1,500 to $7,500 range, which applied to 114 crashes. A significant number of incidents, 56, resulted in damages between $7,500 and $25,000. Nine crashes were estimated to have caused property damage exceeding $25,000.

Single-vehicle, non-collision events were the most frequent manner of crash, accounting for 86 incidents or 46.7% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, broadside (front to side) collisions were the most common, with 38 occurrences (20.7%). Rear-end collisions followed, making up 10.9% of the total with 20 incidents.

The predominant pre-crash action for vehicles involved was moving essentially straight, which was recorded for 196 vehicles. Turning left was the next most common action, noted for 19 vehicles. Sixteen vehicles were legally parked when they were involved in a collision.

Of the 364 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority, 347 people, were drivers. Passengers accounted for 16 of the individuals involved. Only one person was identified as a pedestrian.

Among all persons involved in crashes, 2 sustained fatal injuries and 6 had serious injuries. An additional 27 people received minor injuries, and 42 had possible injuries. The data also shows 2 individuals were confirmed to have no injuries from the incidents they were involved in.

For the subset of occupants where safety equipment use was recorded, 54 were using both a shoulder and lap belt. In contrast, 4 occupants were noted as using no safety equipment at all. One person used a DOT-compliant helmet, and one used only a lap belt.

Crashes were almost evenly split between single-vehicle and two-vehicle incidents, with 91 and 87 crashes respectively. Multi-vehicle pile-ups were rare; there were 5 crashes involving three vehicles and one crash involving five vehicles.