115 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

In 2015, all fatalities and injuries in Hancock County crashes involved motor vehicle occupants. Two motorists were killed and 76 were injured. According to the data, there were no pedestrians or cyclists killed or injured in traffic crashes during this period.

Crashes in Hancock County peaked on Thursdays and Saturdays, with 20 incidents occurring on each of those days. The most frequent time for crashes was the 3 p.m. hour, which saw 14 incidents. A majority of crashes, 70 in total, occurred during daylight hours, while 41 took place in dark or low-light conditions such as dawn or dusk.

Just over half of all crashes (50.4%) resulted in no injuries, involving only property damage. The remaining incidents involved injuries of varying severity: 10 crashes with serious injuries, 22 with minor injuries, and 23 with possible injuries. Two crashes were fatal, resulting in a total of two fatalities.

The most commonly cited contributing factor was 'Driving too fast for conditions,' accounting for 19.1% of crashes (22 incidents). 'Lost Control' and 'Ran off road - straight' were tied as the next most frequent factors, each cited in 13 crashes (11.3%). Running a stop sign was also a significant factor, contributing to 10 crashes.

The majority of crashes occurred in seemingly ideal conditions, with 65 incidents happening in clear weather and 64 on dry road surfaces. Seventy crashes, or 60.9%, took place during daylight. However, adverse conditions were also a factor, as 19 crashes occurred on icy or frosty roads and 11 happened during snowfall.

Among the 258 people involved in crashes, the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 49 individuals. An analysis of the 179 vehicles involved shows that Chevrolet (49 vehicles), Ford (30 vehicles), and Dodge (14 vehicles) were the most frequent makes recorded in crash reports.

The leading major cause attributed to crashes was 'Driving too fast for conditions,' cited in 22 incidents (19.1%). 'Ran off road - straight' and 'Lost Control' were the next most common causes, each contributing to 13 crashes (11.3%). Running a stop sign was the cause of 10 crashes.

The most common first harmful event was a 'Collision with: Vehicle in traffic,' which occurred in 49 crashes. The second most frequent event was a non-collision 'Overturn/rollover,' accounting for 26 incidents. Collisions with fixed objects were also common, including 16 crashes involving a ditch.

Crashes were more likely to occur away from intersections, with 57 incidents happening on non-junction road segments. Four-way intersections were the most common crash site among junction types, accounting for 20 crashes, followed by T-intersections with 16 crashes.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 77 units recorded. Light trucks and pickups were the second most frequent with 39 vehicles, followed by Sport Utility Vehicles with 31. Tractor/semi-trailers were involved in 11 crashes, and motorcycles were involved in 2.

The vast majority of crashes, 126 incidents, occurred where no traffic controls were present. In locations with traffic controls, stop signs were the most common device, being present at the scene of 34 crashes. Traffic signals were present for only 2 crashes.

Frontal impacts were the most common, with the primary area of damage being the front for 42 vehicles and a front corner for another 34 vehicles. The rear of the vehicle was the most damaged area in 16 cases, indicating a notable share of rear-end collisions. For 19 vehicles, the top was the most damaged area, often associated with rollovers.

Crash data within municipal limits shows that Britt had the highest volume with 18 crashes. Forest City followed with 13 crashes, and Garner recorded 10 crashes. A significant number of the county's total crashes occurred outside of any incorporated city limits.

The vast majority of crashes occurred on paved roadways, with 102 incidents reported on such surfaces. In contrast, 12 crashes were recorded on unpaved roads, accounting for approximately 10.5% of the crashes where the surface type was specified.

Among roadway-related contributing factors, 'Surface condition' such as wet or icy roads was the most significant, cited in 29 crashes. Other roadway factors were rare, with 'Debris' and 'Work Zone' each noted as a contributor in only one crash.

In cases where a driver's condition was noted as something other than 'Apparently normal,' the most frequent citation was 'Under the influence of alcohol,' recorded for 8 drivers. The next most common condition was 'Asleep/fatigued,' which was noted for 7 drivers. These figures represent a subset of all drivers and do not capture all instances of impairment or fatigue.

The most common estimated cost of property damage fell within the '$1,500 - $7,500' range, which applied to 67 crashes. Eight crashes involved severe damage estimated at '$25,000 or more.' Another 35 crashes had damage estimated between $7,500 and $25,000.

Single-vehicle, non-collision events were the most frequent crash type, accounting for 55 incidents or 47.8% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, rear-end collisions were the most common, with 20 incidents (17.4%), followed by broadside collisions with 18 incidents (15.7%).

For the majority of vehicles involved in crashes, the pre-crash action was 'Movement essentially straight,' which was reported for 110 vehicles. The next most frequent actions were 'Turning left' (13 vehicles) and being 'Stopped in traffic' (9 vehicles).

Of the 258 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority were drivers, accounting for 238 people. The remaining 20 individuals were passengers. No pedestrians, cyclists, or other person types were recorded in any crash incidents during this period.

Across all 258 people involved in crashes, 2 sustained fatal injuries (K). An additional 15 people suffered serious injuries (A), 27 had minor injuries (B), and 34 had possible injuries (C). These injury counts reflect all persons involved, including drivers and passengers.

Based on the available data for safety equipment usage, 52 individuals were reported as using a shoulder and lap belt. Notably, 11 people were recorded as using no safety restraint at all. One person was noted as wearing a DOT-compliant helmet.

Crashes were almost evenly divided between single-vehicle incidents (56 crashes) and two-vehicle incidents (55 crashes). Multi-vehicle pile-ups were infrequent, with only 3 crashes involving three vehicles and one crash involving four vehicles.