541 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

In 2015, motorists accounted for all fatalities and the vast majority of injuries in Wapello County, with 2 motorists killed and 215 injured. Vulnerable road users were also impacted, though to a lesser extent, with 4 pedestrians and 1 cyclist sustaining injuries. No fatalities were recorded for pedestrians or cyclists during this period.

Crashes in Wapello County occurred most frequently on Tuesdays, which saw 89 incidents in 2015. The data reveals distinct peaks during commute hours, with the most crashes happening in the 3 p.m. hour (53 crashes) and the 7 a.m. hour (33 crashes). A majority of collisions, 341 out of 541, took place during daylight hours.

Of the 541 total crashes, 68.2% (369 incidents) resulted in no injuries, being property-damage-only events. The remaining crashes involved injuries of varying severity, including 98 with possible injuries, 61 with minor injuries, and 11 with serious injuries. There were 2 fatal crashes recorded, resulting in 2 total fatalities.

The leading contributing factor identified in crashes was 'Animal,' cited in 77 incidents (14.2%). This was followed by drivers losing control (62 crashes, 11.5%) and failure to yield the right-of-way from a stop sign (59 crashes, 10.9%). Following too closely was also a significant factor, contributing to 49 crashes.

The data indicates that most crashes occurred in ideal driving conditions, with 61.7% happening in clear weather and 67.3% on dry road surfaces. Similarly, 341 of the 541 total crashes (63.0%) occurred during daylight. Adverse conditions were less frequent, with 23 crashes reported in rain and 23 in snow, while 48 crashes occurred on wet roads and 32 on snowy roads.

Analysis of persons involved in crashes shows the 26-34 age group was most represented with 192 individuals, followed closely by the 16-20 age group with 184 individuals. Among the 897 vehicles involved, Chevrolet was the most frequent make with 196 vehicles, followed by Ford with 137 and Dodge with 99. Toyota (70) and Jeep (34) were also commonly involved.

The most common major cause of crashes was interaction with an animal, which was cited in 77 incidents. This was followed by drivers losing control (62 crashes) and failure to yield the right-of-way from a stop sign (59 crashes). Following too closely (49 crashes) and driving too fast for conditions (32 crashes) were also primary causes.

The most frequent first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, accounting for 290 crashes, or 53.6% of the total. Collisions with animals were the second most common event, with 76 incidents. Single-vehicle run-off-road events were also prevalent, including 32 crashes where the first harmful event was hitting a ditch and 32 involving an overturn or rollover.

Crashes were more likely to occur on non-intersection road segments, with 244 incidents (45.1%) happening away from any junction. Four-way intersections were the most common crash location among junction types, accounting for 146 crashes (27.0%). T-intersections were the site of an additional 26 crashes.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 420 of the 897 vehicles (46.8%). Light trucks and pickups (187 vehicles) and sport utility vehicles (161 vehicles) were also frequently involved. Commercial trucks, including tractor-trailers, made up 2.7% of vehicles in crashes, while motorcycles accounted for 1.0%.

The data indicates that a majority of vehicles involved in crashes were on road segments with no traffic controls present, accounting for 548 instances. Where traffic controls were present, stop signs were the most common, noted in 140 instances, followed by traffic signals in 102 instances. Overall, 66.9% of vehicles in crashes were noted as having no controls present.

Frontal impacts were the most common area of vehicle damage, with 254 vehicles sustaining damage to the front. Including front corners, frontal impacts accounted for 44.6% of all vehicle damage points. Rear impacts, indicative of rear-end collisions, were the second most frequent, with 105 vehicles damaged at the rear.

Impairment was a factor in at least 26 crashes, representing 4.8% of the total for the year. Of these, alcohol was the sole impairing substance in 21 cases, while drugs were involved in 3 cases and a combination of alcohol and drugs was noted in 2 cases. These figures represent a minimum, as impairment may be under-reported in crash data.

The majority of crashes within the county were concentrated in Ottumwa, which recorded 346 incidents. Other municipalities saw significantly lower volumes, including Eddyville with 11 crashes, and both Agency and Eldon with 4 crashes each. Chillicothe (3 crashes), Blakesburg (2 crashes), and Kirkville (1 crash) also reported incidents.

The vast majority of crashes, 510 out of 540 for which this data was recorded, occurred on paved roadways. Crashes on unpaved surfaces like gravel or dirt roads accounted for 30 incidents, or 5.6% of the total. This reflects the prevalence of driving on the county's primary paved road network.

A specific roadway factor was identified as a contributor in 63 crashes. The most common factor was the surface condition, such as wet or icy roads, which was cited in 52 incidents. Work zones were a contributing factor in 3 crashes, while obstructions in the roadway and slippery surfaces each contributed to 2 crashes.

While most drivers were recorded as 'apparently normal,' the data indicates specific driver conditions in a subset of cases. Driving under the influence of alcohol was the most frequently noted condition, with 26 instances. Driver fatigue or falling asleep was cited in 9 cases, and driving under the influence of drugs or medication was noted in 3 cases.

The estimated cost of property damage was most commonly in the $1,500 to $7,500 range, which applied to 418 crashes, or 77.3% of the total. A smaller number of incidents resulted in more significant damage, with 97 crashes estimated between $7,500 and $25,000, and 8 crashes (1.5%) exceeding $25,000 in property damage.

The most frequent type of crash was a non-collision event involving a single vehicle, such as a run-off-road or rollover, which accounted for 198 incidents or 36.6% of all crashes. Among multi-vehicle crashes, rear-end collisions were the most common, with 111 occurrences (20.5%), followed by broadside collisions with 99 occurrences (18.3%).

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles involved was moving essentially straight, which was the case for 530 of the 897 vehicles (59.1%). Turning left was the second most frequent action, recorded for 101 vehicles (11.3%). Other notable actions included slowing or stopping (36 vehicles) and being legally parked (33 vehicles).

The vast majority of individuals involved in crashes were drivers, accounting for 1,063 of the 1,126 people recorded (94.4%). Passengers made up 5.1% of the individuals involved, with 58 recorded. Vulnerable road users were a small fraction of the total, consisting of 4 pedestrians and 1 bicyclist.

Across all 1,126 individuals involved in crashes, there were 2 fatalities and 220 reported injuries. The injuries were categorized as 13 serious, 76 minor, and 131 possible. The data shows that the majority of people involved in crashes did not sustain a reported injury.

Among the 172 individuals for whom safety equipment use was recorded, 145 were noted as using a shoulder and lap belt. However, 16 individuals, or 9.3% of this group, were recorded as using no safety equipment. The data also captured the use of child safety seats in 6 instances.

The most common crash scenario involved two vehicles, which occurred in 296 out of 541 incidents (54.7%). Single-vehicle crashes were also frequent, accounting for 216 incidents, or 39.9% of the total. Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, with 27 three-vehicle crashes and 2 four-vehicle crashes recorded.