Cuyahoga County is located in Northeast Ohio and home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the Great Lakes Science Center, and a lot more. With so much in the area and heavily-trafficked Interstates like I-90 and I-77 running through Cleveland, along with congested downtown streets, car accidents in Cuyahoga County are a regular occurrence. At KNR, our Cleveland car accident lawyers have outlined the most recent car accident statistics in Cuyahoga County to give you an idea regarding what to expect.
If you sustain an injury in a car crash in Cuyahoga County, call our experienced car accident lawyers at Kisling, Nestico & Redick. You can count on us to protect your rights, advise you about your options, and work to secure the recovery you deserve.
To truly understand the prevalence and severity of deadly crashes in the region, it’s best to have a statistical overview and a detailed assessment of the numbers involved.
Summary: In 2018, there were a total of 59 fatal car crashes in Cuyahoga County. 58 of these accidents took place in the city, while only one occurred in a rural environment. Alcohol played a role in 12 fatal crashes, 10 were commercial vehicles, and three involved motorcycles.
The number of fatal car accidents in Cuyahoga County decreased in 2018 as there were a total of 91 in 2017. So far in 2019, Cuyahoga County has faced nine fatal wrecks. Hopefully, safe driving will be a priority this year, and the total number of fatal accidents will decrease.
Analysis: A breakdown of the 2016-2018 fatal auto crashes in Cuyahoga County puts the 2019 year-to-date statistics into perspective. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OHSP):
I-77 and I-271 border the deadliest region within Cuyahoga County to the west and east, and I-90 and I-480 to the north and south. Of the total 225 crashes during these three-years, an average of 49 % occurred in this area.
Weekends are the most dangerous time to be on the road, as 48.6 % of all fatal crashes happen during Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
In 2018, more than 34 % of all deadly accidents in OHSP District 3 occurred in Cuyahoga County. District 3 also encompasses Lorain, Medina, Summit, Ashland, Wayne, Stark, and Holmes counties. The 2017 and 2016 numbers were 38.3 % and 35.8 %, respectively.
The top causes of fatal accidents include improper control, improper lane change, failure to yield, and speeding.
Injury-Causing Auto Collisions in Cuyahoga County
On average, there are around 9,200 traffic crashes involving personal injuries in Cuyahoga County every year. More than 13,400 people are hurt annually in these accidents. The total number of accidents causing serious injuries was 614 in 2018, which is down from 741 in 2017 and 822 in 2016. Though the word “serious” is quite general in everyday use, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association assigns a very specific definition. The term includes severe lacerations, broken or crushed limbs, head trauma, injuries to internal organs, burns, unconsciousness, and others.
When these figures are broken down, some disturbing Cuyahoga County car accident statistics are revealed. The Ohio Department of Transportation states that:
More than half of all injury-causing accidents in the county occur in Cleveland;
August, September, and October are the months with the highest number of crashes, representing around 27 % of all collisions throughout the year;
The most dangerous days of the week for accidents involving injuries are Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday;
The most common reasons behind injury-causing crashes are a failure to control, improper lane change, and failure to yield; and,
Though the total number of crashes decreased from 235 in 2017 to 176 in 2018, distracted driving is a factor in approximately one-third of collisions leading to serious injuries.
In addition, a high number of traffic collisions occur during the morning and evening rush hour periods. The most congested areas around Cuyahoga County at these times include:
I-90 and Lorain Avenue in the Cudell neighborhood;
The interchange at I-90 and I-77, near Quicken Loans Arena;
Downtown Cleveland along Superior Avenue;
Routes 322 and 20 running through Cleveland Clinic – Main Campus; and,
I-271 at the Cedar – Brainerd exit.
Car Accidents in Cuyahoga County
Here are some examples of recent car accidents in Cuyahoga County:
In June 2018, a 49-year old woman lost her life after a two-vehicle crash near the Cleveland Clinic. The woman was attempting to turn left onto East 105th St. when a speeding Chevy Equinox hit her.
The driver of a Hyundai was speeding without headlights on while traveling north on W. 117th St. at around 3:00 in the morning. A driver who was heading south was turning into a driveway when it was struck by the Hyundai. This crash, which occurred in February 2019, resulted in one killed and three injured.
Another accident occurred in February 2019 on the eastbound entrance ramp from W. 3rd Street. A Ford drove off the left side of the road onto a concrete embankment, struck the side of a pedestrian stairway, and hit a metal railing. This caused the car to flip and land on its roof, killing the driver of the Ford.
On April 7, 2019, a 50-year-old man was killed, and his 26-year-old son was seriously injured on I-90 in Bratenhal in an incident that police suspect involved alcohol. Both were transported to University Hospital, where the deceased was pronounced dead, and the younger man received treatment. The other driver suffered minor injuries.
That same day, five people were hurt in a separate incident on I-90 near East 72nd Street. Two victims were listed as being in critical condition, one man suffered serious injuries, and two other individuals sustained minor injuries. First responders remained on the scene for four hours and, at 7:30 a.m., police reopened the section of I-90 to traffic between MLK Drive and Eddy Road.
In Olmstead Falls, a driver who ran a red light at Mapleway Drive and Bagley Road caused an accident. Details on the injuries are scant as police continue to investigate other contributing factors and details of the incident.
A Lorain, OH city councilman was charged with drunk driving after causing an auto collision at the intersection of East 28th Street and Pearl Avenue in March 2019. Officers responding to the scene reported that the man’s vehicle sustained front-end damage after plowing into another vehicle, striking the right side.
A crash near the intersection of Lorain Avenue and West 117th Street killed one man and injured three other victims in the early morning hours of February 10, 2019. Though alcohol may have been a factor, police blamed the collision on one motorist’s excessive speed and driving without headlights.
Steps to Take After a Cuyahoga County Car Accident
To protect your rights and health following a car crash in Cuyahoga County, it’s important to seek medical attention immediately. You may need to visit an emergency room for life-threatening injuries if you’re bleeding excessively, or lost consciousness. Southwest General Health Center, St. John West Shore Hospital, and any facility in the Cleveland Clinic group are among your regional options.
An urgent care center may be more appropriate for injuries that require same-day care, such as minor broken bones, bruises, or small lacerations. There are multiple facilities throughout Cuyahoga County within the University Hospitals network, including centers in Broadview Heights, Chagrin Highlands, Orange Village, Highland Hills, Beachwood, and Moreland Hills.
Also, be sure to follow these important steps.
Call the police: If the police have not yet arrived at the scene, inform them of the crash so they can file a report that can serve as valuable evidence down the road.
Document the scene: Use your smartphone to snap photos of the vehicles involved as well as any injuries you may have sustained.
Don’t admit fault: Even if you think you caused the crash, refrain from saying sorry or taking responsibility. Doing so may hurt you, especially if you find out you were not liable for the accident later on.
Seek medical attention: Visit the doctor as soon as possible to determine whether you’ve been injured and begin treatment.
Contact a car accident lawyer: A lawyer can help you figure out who was at fault and may be able to help you collect compensation for your damages.
Contact Kisling, Nestico, & Redick
If you’ve been injured in a Cuyahoga County car accident, it is in your best interest to contact Kisling, Nestico, & Redick. Let us investigate your case, inform you of your legal options, and fight to get you everything you need to recover.
