3,680 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
APRIL 2015

Motorists comprised the vast majority of individuals killed or injured, with 30 fatalities and 1,325 injuries. Vulnerable road users also suffered casualties; one pedestrian was killed and 35 were injured. No cyclists were killed, but 28 sustained injuries during this period.

Crash analysis reveals distinct temporal patterns, with Thursdays being the most frequent day for incidents, recording 653 crashes. The daily peak for collisions occurred during the afternoon commute, specifically in the 4 p.m. hour with 326 crashes. A secondary, smaller peak is visible during the morning commute between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., which together saw 359 crashes.

Of the 3,680 crashes, 68.8% resulted in no injuries, categorized as property-damage-only incidents. The remaining crashes involved various levels of injury: 18.5% with possible injuries, 9.6% with minor injuries, and 2.3% with serious injuries. A total of 25 crashes were classified as fatal, which collectively resulted in 31 individual fatalities.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 25 fatal crash events resulted in 31 persons killed.

The leading contributing factor identified in crashes was 'Followed too close,' accounting for 455 incidents (12.4%). Collisions with animals were the second most common factor, cited in 352 crashes (9.6%). Other significant factors included drivers losing control (215 crashes) and failing to yield the right-of-way from a stop sign (214 crashes).

The majority of crashes occurred in what would be considered ideal driving conditions. Data shows that 71.6% of crashes happened in daylight (2,634 incidents), 76.9% on dry road surfaces (2,829 incidents), and 62.6% in clear weather (2,303 incidents). Crashes in adverse conditions were less frequent, with rain being a factor in 293 incidents and wet roads in 443.

Analysis of persons involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was the most represented, with 1,225 individuals. Among vehicle makes involved, Chevrolet was the most frequent (1,282 vehicles), followed by Ford (1,003 vehicles) and Dodge (492 vehicles). These figures represent the frequency of involvement in crashes and do not reflect market share.

The primary cause assigned to crashes was 'Followed too close,' which was responsible for 455 incidents. The second most frequent major cause was collisions with an 'Animal,' recorded in 352 crashes. 'Lost Control' (215 crashes) and 'FTYROW: From stop sign' (214 crashes) were also leading causes identified in the data.

The most common initial event in a crash sequence was a 'Collision with: Vehicle in traffic,' which occurred in 2,270 incidents. The second most frequent first harmful event was a 'Collision with: Animal,' accounting for 347 crashes. Single-vehicle run-off-road events were also notable, including 154 overturns and 146 collisions with a ditch.

Crashes were more likely to occur on non-intersection roadway segments, which accounted for 1,683 incidents. Four-way intersections were the most common type of junction for crashes, with 976 incidents occurring at these locations. T-intersections were the site of another 251 crashes.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 3,350 vehicles. Sport utility vehicles (1,255 vehicles) and four-tire light trucks or pickups (939 vehicles) were the next most frequent. Commercial vehicles were also represented, with 156 tractor/semi-trailers involved in collisions, while 81 motorcycles were also involved.

A significant portion of crashes occurred where no traffic control devices were present, with 3,696 vehicles involved in such situations. For crashes at controlled locations, traffic signals were the most common device, present in 1,507 instances. Stop signs were the next most frequent control, involved in 691 instances.

The front of the vehicle was the most common area of initial impact, recorded for 1,680 vehicles. The rear of the vehicle was the second most frequent point of damage, noted in 913 cases, which is consistent with the high number of rear-end collisions. Corner and side impacts were also prevalent, with 522 vehicles sustaining damage to the front-driver-side corner.

Impairment was suspected or confirmed in 159 crashes. Of these, alcohol was a factor in 144 incidents, drugs were a factor in 8, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 7. These 159 crashes represent 4.3% of all crashes during this period.

Crash distribution was concentrated in the state's most populous counties. Polk County recorded the highest number of incidents with 716 crashes. Scott County followed with 294 crashes, and Linn County had 221. Together, these three counties accounted for 33.2% of all crashes statewide.

Among municipalities, Des Moines had the highest crash volume with 406 incidents. Davenport recorded the second-highest number with 231 crashes, followed by Cedar Rapids with 156. These figures highlight the concentration of traffic incidents within Iowa's primary urban areas.

The vast majority of crashes, 3,498, occurred on paved road surfaces. A smaller but notable number of incidents, 167, took place on unpaved roads such as gravel or dirt. This represents 4.5% of crashes where the road surface type was specified.

In a minority of crashes, roadway factors were noted as contributors. The most cited factor was 'Surface condition (e.g. wet, icy),' which was a factor in 92 crashes. 'Work Zone' conditions were noted as a contributing factor in 61 incidents.

While most drivers were recorded as 'Apparently normal,' other conditions were noted in some cases. Among these, 185 drivers were reported as being under the influence of alcohol. Driver fatigue was also a factor, with 56 drivers reported as 'Asleep/fatigued,' and 42 were noted as being 'Emotional.'

The distribution of crashes across Iowa's DOT districts shows a concentration in the state's most traveled regions. District 1, which includes the Des Moines metro area, had the highest number of crashes with 1,064. District 6, covering eastern Iowa, had the second-highest volume with 991 crashes.

The most frequent estimated property damage cost fell within the '$1,500 - $7,500' range, which applied to 2,616 crashes. A smaller number of incidents resulted in more severe damage, with 855 crashes in the '$7,500 - $25,000' range and 71 crashes causing damage estimated at '$25,000+.'

Rear-end collisions were the most frequent type of crash, accounting for 1,003 incidents or 27.3% of the total. Single-vehicle crashes, classified as 'Non-collision,' were the second most common scenario, with 882 incidents (24.0%). Broadside collisions were the third most common type, with 636 crashes recorded.

The predominant pre-crash action for vehicles involved was 'Movement essentially straight,' reported for 3,575 vehicles. The next most common actions were 'Turning left,' involving 589 vehicles, and 'Slowing/stopping (deceleration),' which was the action for 390 vehicles before impact.

For non-motorists involved in crashes, the most frequently recorded action was 'Entering or crossing roadway,' which was cited in 44 instances. A much smaller number, 6 individuals, were moving along the roadway with traffic at the time of the collision.

Of the 8,037 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority, 7,648 people, were drivers. Passengers constituted the next largest group with 323 individuals. The data also includes 36 pedestrians and 29 bicyclists involved in these incidents.

Across all 8,037 individuals involved, 31 suffered fatal injuries (K). An additional 102 people sustained serious injuries (A), 463 had minor injuries (B), and 824 had possible injuries (C). The largest group of individuals, excluding those with no injury data, were those with possible injuries.

Among the subset of participants where safety equipment use was documented, 919 individuals were recorded as using a shoulder and lap belt. In contrast, 126 individuals were recorded as having used no safety equipment. Child restraints, including forward-facing seats and boosters, were used by a total of 18 children.

The most common type of collision involved two vehicles, with 2,362 such incidents recorded. Single-vehicle crashes were the next most frequent, with 1,106 occurrences. Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, with 185 three-vehicle crashes and 22 four-vehicle crashes reported.