682 CRASHES IN
MONTGOMERY, MD
SEPTEMBER 2020

A total of three individuals were killed and 253 were injured in crashes during this period. Two of the fatalities were pedestrians, who also sustained 20 injuries. The third fatality was a motorist, and motorists accounted for the largest group of injured persons with 205 injuries. No cyclists were killed, but 23 sustained injuries.

Crash frequency peaked on Wednesdays, which saw 133 incidents. The most common time for crashes was during the afternoon commute, with a peak of 53 crashes occurring in both the 3 PM and 4 PM hours. Overall, 454 crashes, or 66.6% of the total, occurred during daylight hours.

Of the 682 total crashes, 460 (67.4%) resulted in no injuries, being classified as property damage only. The remaining incidents involved possible (107), minor (97), or serious (11) injuries. Three crashes were classified as fatal, resulting in 3 total fatalities; in this period, each fatal crash involved one death.

Analysis of contributing factors indicates that environmental conditions played a significant role. The most frequently cited factor was 'RAIN, SNOW, WET,' attributed to 59 crashes (8.7%). The second most common factor was 'N/A, WET,' noted in 33 crashes (4.8%), highlighting the prevalence of wet road conditions in reported incidents.

The majority of crashes occurred in favorable conditions, with 431 (63.2%) happening in clear weather and 461 (67.6%) on dry road surfaces. Correspondingly, 454 crashes (66.6%) took place in daylight. Adverse conditions were also a factor, with 87 crashes occurring during rain and 124 on wet roads.

Passenger cars were the most frequently involved vehicle type, accounting for 810 of the 1,152 vehicles in crashes, followed by sport utility vehicles with 99. Among vehicle makes, Toyota was most common with 188 vehicles, followed by Honda with 154 and Ford with 110. Some records contain abbreviations, such as 'TOYT' (57) and 'HOND' (31), which may represent additional vehicles of those makes.

In crashes where fault was assigned, drivers were determined to be at fault in 623 instances, representing 97.8% of such cases. Non-motorists were found at fault in 10 cases, and both parties were determined to be at fault in 4 cases.

Among crashes occurring at specified intersection types, four-way intersections were the most common location, accounting for 217 incidents. T-intersections were the second most frequent site, with 100 crashes reported. Together, these two geometries represent the location for the majority of intersection-related crashes.

Analysis of crash locations shows that 234 incidents (45.7% of those specified) occurred at an intersection. A significant number of crashes, 163, occurred on non-intersection roadway segments. An additional 86 crashes were classified as intersection-related.

The most common road design at crash locations was a 'Two-way, divided, positive median barrier,' accounting for 277 incidents. The second most frequent was a 'Two-way, not divided' roadway, which was the site of 212 crashes. These two road types were the location for the majority of reported collisions.

Disabling damage was the most frequently reported vehicle damage extent, noted in 462 instances, or 42.5% of vehicles with a damage assessment. An additional 59 vehicles were reported as destroyed. In contrast, 280 vehicles sustained superficial damage and 36 had no damage.

The data field for driver action primarily captured environmental factors. The most frequently cited factor was 'RAIN, SNOW, WET,' which was associated with 94 drivers. The second most common entry was 'N/A, WET,' listed for 61 drivers, suggesting wet conditions were a prevalent circumstance.

Among drivers for whom a distraction was recorded, 'Looked but did not see' was the most common, cited for 176 drivers. Other specified distractions included 'Other distraction' (30 drivers), 'Inattentive or lost in thought' (29 drivers), and 'Talking or listening to cellular phone' (4 drivers).

The initial event in the majority of crashes was a collision with another vehicle, which occurred in 451 incidents (66.1% of all crashes). The second most common first harmful event was striking a fixed object, such as a guardrail or tree, which happened in 91 crashes. Collisions with parked vehicles were the third most frequent event, with 57 instances.

Of the 50 pedestrians and bicyclists involved in crashes, a small number were reported to be using safety equipment. Twelve individuals, primarily cyclists, were noted as wearing a helmet. Only one person was reported to be using reflective clothing.

The front of the vehicle, or 'twelve o'clock' position, was the most common point of impact, reported for 469 vehicles (40.7% of the total). The rear of the vehicle, or 'six o'clock' position, was the second most frequent impact point, involved in 184 instances (16.0%).

The most common action immediately preceding a crash was 'Moving constant speed,' reported for 506 drivers (43.9% of all drivers). The next most frequent pre-crash actions were 'Slowing or stopping' (121 drivers) and 'Making left turn' (119 drivers).

For the 50 non-motorists involved, 'No improper actions' was the most frequently reported circumstance, with 32 instances. Among improper actions cited, 'Failure to yield right of way,' 'Dart dash,' 'Inattentive,' and 'Failure to obey traffic signs' were each noted 3 times.

The most frequent crash type was a same-direction rear-end collision, accounting for 145 crashes or 21.3% of the total. This was followed by straight movement angle crashes (134 incidents, 19.6%) and single-vehicle crashes (124 incidents, 18.2%).

A plurality of crashes, 287 out of 682 (42.1%), occurred at locations with no traffic controls. Intersections controlled by a traffic signal were the site of 210 crashes, while 53 crashes occurred at locations with a stop sign.

Passenger cars were the predominant vehicle type involved in crashes, accounting for 810 of the 1,152 vehicles (70.3%). Sport utility vehicles were the second most common type with 99 vehicles involved. Commercial vehicles like transit buses, cargo vans, and heavy trucks were involved in a smaller number of incidents.

Among the 1,207 people involved in crashes, 951 (78.8%) were not injured. Three individuals sustained fatal injuries, and 12 sustained serious injuries. An additional 108 people had minor injuries and 133 had possible injuries.

Two-vehicle collisions were the most common scenario, accounting for 412 of the 682 crashes (60.4%). Single-vehicle crashes were the second most frequent type, with 236 incidents (34.6%). Crashes involving three or more vehicles were less common, with 24 three-vehicle and 5 four-vehicle crashes reported.