116 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

In 2015, all crash-related casualties in Ida County involved motor vehicle occupants. A total of one motorist was killed and 42 motorists were injured. According to the data, there were no pedestrians or cyclists killed or injured in traffic crashes during this period.

Crash occurrences in Ida County peaked on Thursdays, which saw 21 incidents in 2015. The most frequent time for crashes was the 11 a.m. hour, with 10 events recorded. A majority of crashes, 65 in total, occurred during daylight hours, while 15 took place on unlit dark roadways.

The vast majority of crashes in 2015, 95 out of 116 (81.9%), resulted in no injuries. Of the remaining incidents, one crash was fatal, five involved serious injuries, and 15 resulted in minor or possible injuries. The single fatal crash led to one death; the number of fatalities can differ from the number of fatal crashes in events with multiple victims.

The most frequently cited contributing factor in Ida County crashes was 'Animal,' which was noted in 30 incidents (25.9%). Other significant factors included 'Driving too fast for conditions,' accounting for 12 crashes (10.3%), and a combination of 'Lost Control' and 'Ran off road' events, which together were cited in 19 crashes. 'Failure to yield from a stop sign' was a factor in 5 crashes.

Analysis of environmental conditions shows that 65 crashes occurred during daylight hours and 55 happened in clear weather. Dry road surfaces were reported in 48 crashes. In contrast, adverse conditions were noted in a smaller number of incidents, including 17 crashes on snow-covered roads and 15 on dark, unlighted roadways.

Among the 206 people involved in crashes, the most represented age group was 45-54 years old, with 36 individuals, followed by the 26-34 age group with 31 individuals. An analysis of the 163 vehicles involved shows that Chevrolet (33 vehicles) and Ford (28 vehicles) were the most common makes, followed by Buick and Dodge (12 vehicles each).

The leading major cause of crashes was interaction with an animal, cited in 30 incidents. 'Driving too fast for conditions' was the second-most common cause, contributing to 12 crashes. Other frequently recorded causes included 'Lost Control' (7 crashes) and 'Ran off road' (12 crashes combined for straight and left departures).

The most common first harmful event was a 'Collision with a vehicle in traffic,' which occurred in 38 crashes. The second most frequent event was a 'Collision with an animal,' recorded in 30 incidents. Events often associated with run-off-road crashes were also significant, including 12 overturns or rollovers and 12 collisions with a ditch.

A majority of crashes, 58 in total, occurred at non-junction locations along a roadway. Crashes at intersections were less frequent, with 10 occurring at T-intersections and 5 at four-way intersections. An additional 7 crashes were related to driveway access points.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 60 units recorded. Sport utility vehicles (35) and four-tire light trucks or pickups (34) were also frequently involved. The data also shows the involvement of 8 tractor-trailers and 2 motorcycles in crashes during this period.

The vast majority of crashes, 99 in total, occurred where no traffic controls were present. In locations with traffic control devices, stop signs were the most common, being present at the scene of 23 crashes. Other controls like yield signs and railway crossing devices were present in a small number of incidents.

Frontal impacts were the most common type of vehicle damage, with 25 vehicles sustaining damage to the front center and a combined 36 to the front corners. Side impacts were also notable, with 11 vehicles damaged on the driver's side middle and 7 on the passenger's side middle. Rear-end damage was recorded for 7 vehicles.

Within Ida County, the highest volume of crashes was recorded in Ida Grove, with 32 incidents. The town of Holstein had the second-highest number, with 13 crashes. Battle Creek and Galva each reported 2 crashes.

The data indicates that crashes occurred on both paved and unpaved surfaces. A total of 12 crashes, representing 10.3% of all incidents, took place on unpaved roads such as gravel or dirt. The remaining 104 crashes occurred on paved roadways.

In cases where a roadway factor was identified as a contributor, 'Surface condition,' such as wet or icy roads, was the most common, cited in 23 crashes. Less frequent factors included 'Work Zone' conditions and 'Ruts/holes/bumps,' each contributing to 3 crashes. For most crashes, no specific roadway factor was recorded.

The estimated property damage was most commonly in the range of $1,500 to $7,500, a band that included 94 crashes. A smaller number of incidents, 20 in total, resulted in damages estimated between $7,500 and $25,000. One crash was recorded with property damage exceeding $25,000.

Single-vehicle crashes, categorized as 'Non-collision,' were the most frequent type of incident, accounting for 57 crashes or 49.1% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, broadside collisions were the most common, with 15 incidents (12.9%), followed by rear-end collisions, which occurred in 9 crashes (7.8%).

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles involved was 'Movement essentially straight,' recorded for 82 vehicles. Other notable actions included 'Turning left' (13 vehicles) and 'Legally Parked' (11 vehicles). Backing maneuvers were reported for 9 vehicles.

Of the 206 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority, 185 people (89.8%), were drivers. The remaining 21 individuals (10.2%) were passengers. No other person types, such as pedestrians or cyclists, were recorded in the crash data for this period.

Across all 206 people involved in crashes, a total of 43 individuals sustained some level of injury or were killed. This includes one fatality, 6 serious injuries, 19 minor injuries, and 17 possible injuries. The majority of people involved did not sustain a reported injury.

Among the participants for whom safety equipment use was recorded, 13 individuals were noted as using no restraints. This compares to 23 participants who were recorded as using a shoulder and lap belt. Additionally, two individuals were reported to have used a DOT-compliant helmet.

The data shows a prevalence of single-vehicle crashes, which accounted for 69 of the 116 total incidents (59.5%). Crashes involving two vehicles were also common, with 47 such events recorded. No crashes involving three or more vehicles were reported in this dataset.