Common Causes of Accidents in Ohio for 2021
Posted in Accident & Injury, Automobile, Car Accident on December 9, 2021
As of December 2021, there have been over 54,000 car accidents with nearly 1,300 fatalities in Ohio. Let’s take a look at the common causes that contributed to car accidents over the past year.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is anything that takes the driver’s focus away while they are operating a vehicle, such as:
- Visual
- Anything that averts your eyes away from the road.
- Manual
- Taking your hand off the steering wheel to complete a task like eating, drinking, or using electronics.
- Cognitive
- Zoning out while driving. Typically, it can be recognized if you don’t remember driving the last few miles or how you reached a destination.
- Auditory
- Shifting your focus from driving to pay attention to music, what a passenger is saying, etc.
Ohio Distracted Driving Statistics
- Distracted driving fatalities and serious injuries have increased 11% from 2020.
- Law enforcement issued out over 11,000 distracted driving violations.
- 40% of distracted driving accidents in Ohio occur from drivers between 15-24.
Speeding
Speeding is considered a form of reckless driving and causes many car accidents each year.
Speeding Statistics
- Ohio has the highest percentage of drivers with a speeding ticket at 12% in 2021.
- Ohio holds a 35% lead over the national average of speeding tickets.
- In Northeast Ohio, the average speeding ticket ranges between $100-$200.
Drunk Driving
Under Ohio law, no person shall be under the influence while operating a motor vehicle. This law was implemented due to the lack of decision-making while alcohol is in the system, causing accidents.
Drunk Driving Statistics
- In Ohio, there have been almost 10,000 alcohol-related crashes since the start of 2021.
- 28.2% of all accidents involving fatalities were due to alcohol-impaired drivers.
- In the United States, drinking and driving kills about one person every 52 minutes.
- Over 40% of people in the United States have admitted they driven a vehicle after drinking.
Reckless Driving
Reckless driving is defined as disregarding the safety of others or oneself while operating a motor vehicle. In the United States, traffic deaths for the first half of 2021 were 18.4% higher than last year due to an increase in aggressive driving. The most common types of reckless driving to watch for include:
- Tailgating
- Weaving
- Ignoring Traffic Symbols
- Racing
- Road Rage
Other Causes of Accidents
- Drowsy Driving
- Teen Drivers
- Weather-related
- Vehicle Malfunctions
What Elk + Elk Can Do
Our car accident attorneys are always available. We offer a free consultation and won’t charge anything unless you win. Call 1-800-ELK-OHIO (1-800-355-6446) or contact us online to schedule your free consultation.