273 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

In total, 3 people were killed and 90 were injured in crashes. Motorists comprised the largest group of casualties, with 2 killed and 87 injured. One pedestrian was killed and one was injured, and one cyclist was injured. No cyclists were killed in 2015.

Crash frequency in Washington County peaked on Thursdays, which saw 56 incidents over the year. The single most common time for a crash was during the 5 p.m. hour, with 24 recorded events. A majority of crashes, 163 out of 273 (59.7%), occurred during daylight hours.

The vast majority of crashes, 199 incidents or 72.9%, resulted in no injuries. Crashes involving some level of injury accounted for 74 incidents, including 36 with possible injuries, 26 with minor injuries, and 9 with serious injuries. There were 3 fatal crashes recorded, which resulted in a total of 3 fatalities.

The most frequently cited contributing factor for crashes was an animal in the roadway, accounting for 55 incidents (20.1%). Other significant factors included drivers losing control (26 crashes, 9.5%), failure to yield the right-of-way from a stop sign (21 crashes, 7.7%), and driving too fast for conditions (20 crashes, 7.3%).

Most crashes occurred in favorable conditions, with 61.2% happening in clear weather and 66.3% on dry road surfaces. Daylight was the lighting condition for 163 of the 273 total crashes (59.7%). Adverse weather was less common, with 20 crashes occurring in snow and 11 in rain, while 26 crashes were on snowy roads and 21 on wet surfaces.

Among the 516 individuals involved in crashes, the 16-20 age group was most represented with 79 people, followed by the 45-54 age group with 72 people. Analysis of the 422 vehicles involved shows that Chevrolet (95 vehicles) and Ford (64 vehicles) were the most frequent makes. Dodge (36 vehicles) and Toyota (31 vehicles) were also commonly involved.

The leading major cause identified in crashes was the presence of an animal, cited in 55 incidents (20.1%). This was followed by drivers losing control in 26 crashes (9.5%) and failure to yield the right-of-way from a stop sign in 21 crashes (7.7%). Driving too fast for conditions and running off a straight road were also significant, contributing to 20 and 19 crashes respectively.

The most common initial event in a crash was a collision with another vehicle in traffic, which occurred in 123 incidents. Collisions with animals were the second most frequent first harmful event, recorded in 54 crashes. Collisions with fixed objects, such as running into a ditch (24 incidents) or hitting a utility pole (4 incidents), were also common, while 17 crashes involved an overturn or rollover.

A majority of crashes, 176 out of 273 (64.5%), occurred at non-intersection locations, including 149 on straight or curved road segments. Intersections accounted for 79 crashes (28.9%), with four-way intersections being the most common type, seeing 60 incidents. An additional 15 crashes were related to driveway access.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 199 of the 422 vehicles. Light trucks and pickups were the next most frequent with 80 vehicles, followed by sport utility vehicles with 66. Larger vehicles were less common, with 16 tractor-trailers and 6 motorcycles involved in incidents throughout the year.

In a majority of incidents, no traffic controls were present, with this condition recorded 307 times across all vehicles in crashes. Where controls were a factor, stop signs were the most common, noted in 58 instances. Traffic signals were present in 26 instances.

The front of the vehicle was the most common area of impact, with 86 vehicles sustaining primary damage to the front and an additional 70 sustaining damage to a front corner. Side impacts were also frequent, with 24 vehicles damaged on the driver's side middle area and 22 on the driver's side front. Rear-end damage was the primary impact point for 27 vehicles.

Driver impairment was suspected in 12 crashes, representing 4.4% of all incidents. Of these, alcohol was a factor in 10 crashes, and drugs were a factor in 2. These figures represent a minimum count, as impairment can be under-reported in crash data.

Among municipalities in Washington County, the City of Washington had the highest crash volume with 73 incidents. Kalona recorded the second-highest number with 22 crashes, followed by Riverside with 11. A significant number of crashes occur in rural areas outside of any specific city's jurisdiction.

The vast majority of crashes, 250 out of 271 for which the surface type was known, occurred on paved roads. However, 21 crashes, or 7.7% of the total, took place on unpaved surfaces such as gravel or dirt roads, reflecting the county's rural road network.

A roadway-related factor was noted as a contributor in 50 crashes. The most common factor was the road surface condition, such as being wet or icy, which was cited in 41 incidents. A work zone was identified as a contributing factor in 2 crashes.

While most drivers were recorded as 'apparently normal,' a specific condition was noted for 30 drivers. The most common non-normal condition was being under the influence of alcohol, recorded for 13 drivers. Seven drivers were noted as being asleep or fatigued, and 3 had a medical condition, such as a seizure.

The estimated property damage was between $1,500 and $7,500 for a majority of crashes, with 180 incidents falling into this category. A smaller number of crashes resulted in more significant damage, with 73 incidents estimated between $7,500 and $25,000, and 6 crashes causing damage of $25,000 or more.

Nearly half of all incidents, 123 crashes or 45.1%, were non-collision events involving a single vehicle, such as running off the road or overturning. Among multi-vehicle crashes, broadside collisions were the most common, accounting for 48 incidents (17.6%). Rear-end collisions were the next most frequent type, with 35 occurrences (12.8%).

The most common action of vehicles prior to a crash was moving straight ahead, which was recorded 278 times. Turning left was the next most frequent pre-crash action, noted in 34 instances. Vehicles that were legally parked were struck in 21 cases.

Of the 516 people involved in crashes, the vast majority, 488 individuals (94.6%), were drivers. Passengers accounted for 24 of the people involved. A small number of non-motorists were also involved, including 2 pedestrians, 1 bicyclist, and 1 other non-motorist.

Among the 516 people involved in crashes, 93 individuals sustained injuries or were killed. This includes 3 fatalities and 90 injuries of varying severity. Specifically, 10 people suffered serious injuries, 35 had minor injuries, and 45 had possible injuries.

For the 69 individuals where safety equipment use was recorded, 53 were noted as using a shoulder and lap belt. Ten individuals were recorded as not using any safety equipment. Additionally, 3 children were in a child safety seat of an unknown type, and 2 individuals used a DOT-compliant helmet.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common type of crash, accounting for 139 of the 273 incidents (50.9%). Single-vehicle crashes were also very frequent, with 129 incidents (47.3%). Crashes involving three or more vehicles were rare, with only 5 such events recorded.