654 CRASHES IN
MONTGOMERY, MD
MARCH 2020

Of the 208 total individuals killed or injured, motorists comprised the largest group, with 2 fatalities and 175 injuries. Vulnerable road users were also significantly impacted; one pedestrian was killed and 21 were injured. Additionally, 8 cyclists were injured in collisions, though none fatally.

Crashes occurred most frequently on Mondays and Fridays, with each day recording 110 incidents. The single busiest time for collisions was the 3 p.m. hour, which saw 60 crashes. Overall, collisions were more common during daylight hours, with 432 crashes occurring in daylight compared to 199 at dawn, dusk, or in darkness.

The vast majority of crashes, 72.2% (472 incidents), resulted in no injuries. Injury-involved crashes accounted for 27.8% of the total, distributed among possible (96), minor (68), and serious (10) injury categories. There were 3 fatal crashes, which resulted in 3 total fatalities.

The most frequently cited contributing factors were related to environmental conditions rather than specific driver errors. The top factor was 'N/A, WET' which was noted in 43 incidents (6.6%), followed by 'RAIN, SNOW, WET' in 38 incidents (5.8%). The prevalence of 'N/A' suggests that a specific primary factor was often not determined at the scene.

Most crashes occurred in favorable conditions, with 66.7% (436 incidents) happening in clear weather and 65.6% (429 incidents) on dry road surfaces. Similarly, 66.1% of crashes (432) took place during daylight hours. Adverse conditions were less frequent, with 83 crashes occurring in rain and 121 on wet roads.

The most common vehicle makes involved in crashes were Honda (136 vehicles) and Toyota (135 vehicles), followed by Ford (116 vehicles). The data includes variations in make names, such as 'TOYT' (52) and 'HOND' (42), which also ranked high in frequency. Data on driver age distribution was not available for this period.

In incidents where fault was assigned, a driver was determined to be at fault in 603 cases. A non-motorist was found at fault in 4 instances. This indicates that drivers were considered the at-fault party in over 99% of crashes where this determination was recorded.

Among crashes that occurred at a specified type of intersection, four-way intersections were the most common location, accounting for 184 incidents. T-intersections were the second most common geometry, with 91 crashes recorded.

Crashes were nearly evenly split between junction and non-junction locations. The data shows 207 crashes occurred at an intersection and 176 occurred on a non-intersection roadway segment. An additional 63 crashes were classified as intersection-related.

The most common road design at crash locations was a 'Two-Way, Divided, Positive Median Barrier,' which accounted for 270 incidents. The second most frequent was 'Two-Way, Not Divided,' with 207 crashes. These two road types comprised the locations for the majority of reported collisions.

Disabling damage was the most frequently reported outcome for vehicles involved in collisions, noted in 400 instances. This was followed by superficial damage (299 instances) and functional damage (277 instances). A total of 59 vehicles were reported as destroyed.

The data field for driver action primarily captured environmental conditions. The most cited factor was 'N/A, WET,' listed for 75 drivers, followed by 'RAIN, SNOW, WET' for 69 drivers. 'N/A, RAIN, SNOW' was the third most common entry, noted for 7 drivers.

Among the 239 instances where a specific driver distraction was recorded, 'Looked But Did Not See' was the most common, cited in 157 cases. This was followed by 'Inattentive or Lost in Thought' (38 cases) and 'Other Distraction' (28 cases). Cell phone use was noted in 7 cases, including texting and talking.

The most common first harmful event in a crash was a collision with another moving vehicle, which occurred in 434 of 654 total crashes (66.4%). The next most frequent events were striking a fixed object (103 crashes) and hitting a parked vehicle (54 crashes).

For the 1,130 vehicles with a recorded point of impact, the front of the vehicle ('Twelve Oclock') was the most common area, accounting for 451 impacts. The rear of the vehicle ('Six Oclock') was the second most frequent point of impact, recorded in 219 instances.

Of the 1,130 vehicles with a recorded pre-crash action, the most common was 'Moving Constant Speed,' reported for 492 vehicles (43.5%). The next most frequent actions were 'Slowing or Stopping' (146 vehicles) and being 'Stopped in Traffic Lane' (108 vehicles).

For the 24 incidents where a pedestrian's action was recorded, 'No Improper Actions' was the most common finding, noted in 16 cases. Other recorded actions included 'Entering Exiting Parked Standing Vehicle' (3 cases) and 'Dart Dash' (2 cases).

The most prevalent crash type was a same-direction rear-end collision, which accounted for 162 incidents, or 24.8% of all crashes. Single-vehicle crashes were the second most common category, with 135 incidents (20.6%), followed by straight-movement angle collisions with 104 incidents (15.9%).

A significant portion of crashes, 285 incidents (43.6%), occurred at locations with no traffic controls present. Locations with a traffic signal were the site of 182 crashes (27.8%), while 40 crashes (6.1%) occurred at intersections controlled by a stop sign.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in collisions, accounting for 780 of the 1,130 vehicles recorded (69.0%). Sport Utility Vehicles were the next most frequent, with 84 vehicles involved, followed by pickup trucks (42) and vans (41).

Of the 1,164 people involved in crashes, 956 (82.1%) sustained no apparent injury. Among those injured, 117 people had possible injuries, 76 had minor injuries, and 12 had suspected serious injuries. A total of 3 individuals sustained fatal injuries, representing 0.3% of all persons involved.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common scenario, accounting for 381 of the 654 total crashes (58.3%). Single-vehicle crashes were the next most frequent, with 222 incidents (34.0%). Most other crashes involved three vehicles (40 incidents), with one crash involving six vehicles.