5,268 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
JANUARY 2015

Motorists comprised the vast majority of those killed or injured, with 18 fatalities and 1,413 injuries. No fatalities were recorded for pedestrians or cyclists during this period. However, 43 pedestrians and 3 cyclists sustained injuries in traffic collisions.

Crash frequency peaked on Tuesday with 915 incidents, while the most hazardous time of day was the 3 p.m. hour, which saw 442 crashes. A majority of crashes, 2,904 in total, occurred during daylight hours. However, a substantial number of incidents also coincided with morning and evening commutes, with notable peaks between 7-8 a.m. and 3-6 p.m.

Of the 5,268 total crashes, 76% (4,005) resulted in no injuries and were classified as property damage only. The remaining 24% involved some level of injury or a fatality. Specifically, there were 17 fatal crashes, which resulted in a total of 18 fatalities, alongside 76 serious injury crashes and 1,170 minor or possible injury crashes.

Severity is per crash event (most severe injury). 17 fatal crash events resulted in 18 persons killed.

The leading contributing factor cited was 'Driving too fast for conditions,' accounting for 683 crashes, or 13% of the total. Other dominant factors included running off the road (759 crashes combined for left and straight), collisions with animals (452 crashes), and losing control of the vehicle (441 crashes). Failure to yield the right-of-way from a stop sign (251 crashes) and while making a left turn (246 crashes) were also frequently reported.

While 46% of crashes (2,423) occurred in clear weather, adverse conditions were prevalent in many incidents. Snow was a factor in 746 crashes and cloudy conditions in 1,266. Correspondingly, only 34.6% of crashes (1,825) happened on dry roads, while 1,395 occurred on snow and 802 on ice or frost. Daylight was the dominant lighting condition, present for 2,904 crashes.

Among persons involved in crashes where age was recorded, the 26-34 age group was the most represented with 1,729 individuals. The most frequently involved vehicle makes were Chevrolet (1,820 vehicles), Ford (1,543 vehicles), and Dodge (672 vehicles). These figures represent the raw counts of vehicles involved in collisions during the period.

The most frequently cited major cause for crashes was 'Driving too fast for conditions,' listed for 683 incidents. This was followed by running off the road to the left (459), collisions with an animal (452), and losing control (441). Following too closely was also a significant factor, contributing to 361 crashes.

The most common first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, which occurred in 2,976 crashes. Collisions with animals were the second most frequent event, recorded in 445 incidents. Single-vehicle events were also common, including 303 crashes where the first harmful event was hitting a ditch and 201 involving an overturn or rollover.

Crashes were more likely to occur away from intersections, with 2,555 incidents (48.5%) happening on non-junction road segments. Four-way intersections were the most common junction type for crashes, accounting for 1,263 incidents. T-intersections were the location for another 357 crashes.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 4,350 of the 8,957 vehicles. Sport utility vehicles (1,820) and four-tire light trucks or pickups (1,470) were the next most frequent. Tractor-trailers and other large trucks were involved in 255 incidents, representing about 2.8% of all vehicles in crashes.

For vehicles involved in crashes, the most common situation was the absence of traffic controls, noted for 5,362 vehicles. Where traffic controls were present, traffic signals were the most frequent, governing 1,913 vehicles involved in crashes. Stop signs were the next most common control device, noted for 897 vehicles.

The front of the vehicle was the most common area of impact, recorded for 2,387 vehicles. This suggests a high prevalence of head-on or frontal-corner collisions. The rear of the vehicle was the most damaged area for 1,006 vehicles, indicative of rear-end collisions.

A total of 161 crashes involved a driver noted for impairment, representing 3.1% of all crashes. Of these, alcohol was the sole factor in 147 cases. Drugs were cited in 9 crashes, and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 5 crashes.

Crash distribution was heavily concentrated in Iowa's most populous counties. Polk County recorded the highest number of incidents with 902, followed by Scott County with 388, and Linn County with 310. Together, the top five counties (Polk, Scott, Linn, Black Hawk, and Woodbury) accounted for 2,124 crashes, representing 40.3% of the statewide total.

Among municipalities, Des Moines had the highest crash volume with 508 incidents. Following were Davenport with 298 crashes, Sioux City with 221, and Cedar Rapids with 190. A significant number of crashes occur in unincorporated areas and are therefore not included in this city-level ranking.

The vast majority of crashes, 5,045 in total, occurred on paved roadways. Crashes on unpaved surfaces like gravel or dirt roads accounted for 204 incidents, representing approximately 3.9% of the total for which this data was recorded.

Adverse surface conditions were the most significant roadway factor contributing to crashes, cited in 1,681 incidents. A slippery, loose, or worn surface was noted as a factor in an additional 66 crashes. Other roadway factors, such as debris or obstructions, were cited much less frequently, with work zones being a factor in 10 crashes.

Among drivers for whom a condition other than 'apparently normal' was recorded, being under the influence of alcohol was the most frequent, noted for 185 drivers. Driver fatigue or falling asleep was cited for 56 drivers. Emotional state (37 drivers) and medical conditions (23 drivers) were other notable recorded conditions.

Crash incidents were most concentrated in Iowa DOT District 6 (eastern Iowa) and District 1 (central Iowa), which recorded 1,482 and 1,450 crashes, respectively. These two districts accounted for a combined 2,932 crashes, over half of the statewide total. District 4 (southwest Iowa) reported the fewest crashes with 434.

The most common estimated property damage cost was in the $1,500 to $7,500 range, which applied to 3,935 crashes. A smaller number of crashes, 89 in total, resulted in severe property damage estimated at over $25,000. There were 1,126 crashes with damage estimated between $7,500 and $25,000.

Single-vehicle, non-collision events were the most frequent crash type, accounting for 1,608 incidents or 30.5% of the total. Rear-end collisions were the second most common manner of collision with 1,163 crashes (22.1%). Broadside collisions, often occurring at intersections, were the third most frequent type, with 887 crashes (16.8%).

The majority of drivers involved in crashes, 5,194 in total, were moving essentially straight ahead just prior to the incident. The next most common pre-crash action was turning left, which was reported for 758 drivers. A significant number of vehicles were either slowing or stopped in traffic, with 485 and 481 vehicles reported in these states, respectively.

Among the 43 pedestrians involved in crashes, the most common action was entering or crossing the roadway, which was reported for 26 individuals. Five pedestrians were moving along the roadway with traffic at the time of the collision. Other actions, such as being on a sidewalk or approaching a vehicle, were less frequently reported.

Drivers constituted the vast majority of individuals involved in crashes, with 10,216 people recorded as drivers. Passengers accounted for 292 of the individuals involved. The data also includes 43 pedestrians and 3 bicyclists.

Of the 10,562 people involved in crashes, 18 sustained fatal injuries and 1,466 suffered non-fatal injuries. Among the injured, 94 people had serious injuries, 427 had minor injuries, and 945 had possible injuries. The data shows 121 individuals involved in injury-crashes were reported with no injuries.

Among individuals for whom safety equipment use was documented, 1,039 were reported as using both a shoulder and lap belt. In contrast, 98 individuals were recorded as using no safety equipment at the time of the crash. Child safety seats were noted for 16 occupants.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common type of crash, accounting for 3,110 incidents. Single-vehicle crashes were also frequent, with 1,899 reported, representing 36.1% of all crashes. While most incidents involved one or two vehicles, there were several multi-vehicle pile-ups, including two crashes involving nine vehicles and one involving eleven vehicles.