299 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

In 2015, motorists accounted for all 7 fatalities and the vast majority of injuries, with 113 reported. No pedestrians or cyclists were killed. However, there was 1 pedestrian injury and 2 cyclist injuries recorded during this period.

Crash patterns in Mahaska County show a concentration during the latter part of the week, with Friday being the peak day for incidents with 55 crashes. Crashes peaked during the midday and afternoon hours, with both the 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. hours recording the highest frequency at 30 crashes each. The majority of collisions, 212 out of 299, occurred during daylight hours.

Of the 299 crashes in 2015, the majority (67.6%) were property-damage-only incidents with no reported injuries. Injury-involved crashes, ranging from possible to serious, accounted for 93 incidents. There were 4 fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 7 fatalities, highlighting that a single crash event can involve multiple deaths.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 4 fatal crash events resulted in 7 persons killed.

The leading contributing factors cited in Mahaska County crashes include failure to yield the right of way from a stop sign, which was noted in 27 incidents (9.0%). This was closely followed by drivers losing control of their vehicle in 26 incidents (8.7%) and driving too fast for conditions in 21 incidents (7.0%). Other significant factors included following too closely (19 crashes) and various forms of driver distraction.

The majority of crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions. In 2015, 197 crashes (65.9%) happened in clear weather, 212 (70.9%) in daylight, and 204 (68.2%) on dry road surfaces. Crashes during adverse weather included 18 in rain and 10 in snow, while 70 incidents occurred in dark conditions.

Analysis of individuals involved in crashes shows the 16-20 age group was the most represented, with 98 persons. Among the 517 vehicles involved, Ford was the most frequent make with 94 vehicles, followed by Chevrolet with 77 vehicles and Dodge with 42 vehicles. These figures represent the makes of vehicles involved in collisions and do not reflect market share.

The primary causes of crashes in Mahaska County were led by 'Failure to yield right of way from a stop sign,' cited in 27 incidents. 'Lost Control' was the second-most common cause, contributing to 26 crashes. 'Driving too fast for conditions' was documented as the major cause in 21 crashes.

The most common first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, accounting for 171 crashes (57.2%). Collisions with fixed objects were also frequent, including 19 crashes involving a ditch and 16 involving an animal. Single-vehicle non-collision events, such as an overturn or rollover, were the first harmful event in 13 crashes.

Crashes were more likely to occur away from intersections, with 149 incidents happening on non-junction road segments. Four-way intersections were the most common crash location among junction types, accounting for 88 incidents. T-intersections were the site of another 23 crashes.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 207 units. Light trucks and pickups (117) and sport utility vehicles (97) were also frequently involved. Commercial vehicles like tractor/semi-trailers were involved in 18 crashes, while motorcycles were involved in 7 incidents.

Analysis of traffic controls present for the vehicles involved shows that a majority, 332, were in areas with no traffic controls present. For crashes at controlled locations, stop signs were the most common device, noted for 85 vehicles involved. Traffic signals were present for 74 vehicles involved in collisions.

The front of the vehicle was the most common point of impact, recorded as the most-damaged area for 132 vehicles. Combined with front-corner impacts (98 vehicles), frontal damage was a factor in a significant number of collisions. Rear impacts, indicative of rear-end collisions, were the primary damage area for 47 vehicles.

Impairment was suspected in 10 crashes, representing 3.3% of all incidents in 2015. Of these, alcohol was the suspected substance in 9 crashes, and drugs were suspected in 1 crash. These figures should be considered a minimum, as impairment is often under-reported in crash data.

The distribution of crashes across municipalities shows a heavy concentration in Oskaloosa, which accounted for 187 of the reported incidents. Other towns like New Sharon (3 crashes), Eddyville (2 crashes), and Fremont (2 crashes) saw significantly fewer events. A number of crashes occurred in unincorporated areas and are not included in this city-specific breakdown.

The vast majority of crashes, 266 out of 299, occurred on paved roadways. However, a notable 33 crashes, or 11.0% of the total, took place on unpaved surfaces such as gravel or dirt roads. This reflects the presence of an extensive secondary road network in the county.

Roadway factors were cited as a contributor in a minority of crashes. The most common factor was the road surface condition, such as being wet or icy, which was noted in 26 incidents. Other factors like ruts or traffic backups were cited in only one crash each.

Among drivers for whom a condition other than 'apparently normal' was recorded, being under the influence of alcohol was the most frequent, noted for 16 drivers. Driver fatigue or falling asleep was documented for 6 drivers, a factor often associated with rural driving. An emotional state was cited for 3 drivers.

The estimated property damage for the majority of crashes (215 incidents) fell within the $1,500 to $7,500 range. A smaller number of crashes resulted in more significant damage, with 67 incidents estimated between $7,500 and $25,000. Twelve crashes, representing 4.0% of the total, involved severe property damage estimated at over $25,000.

Single-vehicle crashes, such as running off the road or overturning, were the most common type of incident, accounting for 93 crashes or 31.1% of the total. Among multi-vehicle collisions, rear-end crashes were the most frequent pattern with 69 incidents (23.1%), followed closely by broadside collisions with 65 incidents (21.7%).

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles was 'Movement essentially straight,' recorded for 287 vehicles. Turning left was the next most frequent action leading to a crash, documented for 48 vehicles. Other notable actions included slowing or stopping (20 vehicles) and backing (20 vehicles).

Of the 643 people involved in crashes, the vast majority were drivers, accounting for 612 individuals. Passengers made up the next largest group with 26 people. A small number of non-motorists were involved, including 2 bicyclists and 1 pedestrian.

Across all 643 individuals involved in crashes, 7 people sustained fatal injuries and 117 sustained non-fatal injuries. The injuries included 15 serious, 37 minor, and 65 possible injuries. The data shows that while most crashes did not result in injury, a significant number of individuals were still affected.

Among the subset of vehicle occupants for whom safety equipment use was documented, 87 individuals were recorded as using a shoulder and lap belt. Conversely, 13 individuals were documented as using no safety equipment at the time of their crash. One person was secured in a forward-facing child safety seat.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common scenario, accounting for 192 of the 299 crashes. Single-vehicle crashes were also frequent, with 95 incidents representing 31.8% of the total. Multi-vehicle crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, with 10 three-vehicle and 2 four-vehicle incidents recorded.