Cleveland & Cuyahoga County Car Accident Statistics

On This Page

The car accident claims process can be overwhelming. Your Cleveland car accident attorney must identify the liable party to demand justice. Understanding the latest Cuyahoga County car accident facts and figures can offer insight into what to expect.

Our personal injury attorneys at Kisling, Nestico & Redick have compiled the most recent Cleveland and Cuyahoga County car accident stats available for 2025, found through the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) OSTATS Crash Dashboard.

If you have questions regarding the cause and fault of your car accident, contact our Cleveland auto accident lawyers to discuss the specific details of your case. For a no-cost, risk-free consultation, call our office at (216) 658-1330.

2025 Car Accident Numbers

In 2025, 24,001 Total Vehicle Accidents occurred in Cuyahoga County.

Here’s a monthly breakdown of these crashes:

January: 2,141
February: 1,912
March: 1,713
April: 1,683
May: 2,017
June: 1,916
July: 1,788
August: 1,885
September: 1,897
October: 2,017
November: 2,374
December: 2,659

Cuyahoga County and Cleveland Car Crashes by Severity

Many car accident victims report intense pain, anxiety, and fear in the aftermath. Of the 24,001 Cleveland and Cuyahoga County car accidents in 2025:

75 were fatal (more on fatal car accidents in Cuyahoga County)
636 involved serious injuries
2,655 had minor injuries
3,312 had possible injuries
17,323 only involved property damage

Types of Car Accidents in Cleveland

If you’re injured in any car accident in Cuyahoga County, make sure you have a legal advocate to help you fight for the compensation you deserve.

While most car accidents are preventable and caused by negligent or reckless driving, there are many causes of collisions. Here are the most common contributing factors to Cleveland area car accidents in recent years.

What Contributes to Cuyahoga County Crashes

The Ohio State Highway Patrol tags each crash with the factors involved. Across the five years of Cuyahoga County data in the dashboard, the factors that show up most often are unbelted occupants, crashes involving young drivers or older drivers, failure to yield, speeding, and running red lights or stop signs. Teen drivers, commercial vehicles, impaired driving, and distracted driving also appear in thousands of crashes, and work zones, pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists, and deer each account for a smaller but steady share.

Officers at the accident scene may not describe the underlying cause in their crash reports. For example, a driver may T-bone another car when running a red light because they fall asleep at the wheel after working a 16-hour shift.

The best way to find out what caused your collision and who is at fault is to contact a dedicated and local personal injury attorney at KNR.

When Crashes Happen in Cleveland

Car accidents in Cleveland can happen anytime, but certain hours and days are more likely to see severe collisions. When looking at data from the past five years, here are the days and times that car accidents occur most frequently in Cuyahoga County:

The pattern in the data is clear. Crashes climb through the workweek and peak on Fridays, and the busiest hours are the afternoon rush, roughly 3 to 6 p.m., when each hour accounts for more than 8% of the day’s crashes. Late-night hours see far fewer crashes, but weekend nights are when impaired drivers are most likely to be on the road. Weather matters too: in 2025, November and December had the most crashes of any months, as early darkness, holiday traffic, and the first snow and ice of the season arrived.

Crashes in Cuyahoga County by Day:

Sunday: 15,300
Monday: 18,422
Tuesday: 19,892
Wednesday: 20,118
Thursday: 20,733
Friday: 22,209
Saturday: 18,204

Crashes around Cleveland by Hour:

12-12:59 AM: 2.6%
1-1:59 AM: 2.0%
2-2:59 AM: 2.1%
3-3:59 AM: 1.4%
4-4:59 AM: 1.0%
5-5:59 AM: 1.2%
6-6:59 AM: 2.3%
7-7:59 AM: 4.4%
8-8:59 AM: 4.8%
9-9:59 AM: 3.9%
10-10:59 AM: 4.2%
11-11:59 AM: 4.9%
12-12:59 PM: 5.4%
1-1:59 PM: 5.5%
2-2:59 PM: 6.5%
3-3:59 PM: 8.1%
4-4:59 PM: 8.3%
5-5:59 PM: 8.1%
6-6:59 PM: 6.0%
7-7:59 PM: 4.5%
8-8:59 PM: 3.8%
9-9:59 PM: 3.4%
10-10:59 PM: 3.1%
11-11:59 PM: 2.5%

Do You Have a Case? Get Your 100% Free Evaluation Today

We're Award-Winning & Highly-Skilled Attorneys

A badge with the text Best Law Firms, Ranked by Best Lawyers, United States, 2026 in black, red, and gray lettering on a shield-shaped background.

A gold and red badge with the text Trucking Top 10 Trial Lawyers and an image of the Lady Justice holding scales in the center.

Gold and black shield emblem with scales of justice, reading “Nation’s Premier NAOPIA Top Ten Attorney Personal Injury” on a gold ribbon with decorative stars at the bottom.

Red hexagon with large white letters AV in the center. Faint white text underneath reads PREEMINENT, but the smaller text below is blurry and difficult to read.

White text on a light gray background reads Super Lawyers in large, bold letters.

Cleveland-Area Highway Stats

Cuyahoga County highways and interstates often see intense traffic conditions and drivers operating at excessive speeds. For this reason, it is no surprise that Cleveland’s major highways see some of the largest numbers of car accidents:

IR-90: 7,220
IR-480: 5,320
US-6: 3,033
US-422: 5,060
US-322: 2,989
SR-10: 2,627
US-42: 2,509
IR-71: 2,981

Most Dangerous Roads and Interchanges in Cleveland

Some stretches of road around Cleveland come up again and again in crash reports and news coverage. Our full guide to the most dangerous roads in Cleveland goes into more detail, but these are the areas drivers mention most:

Dead Man’s Curve on I-90: the sharp bend on I-90 near downtown, where drivers who come into the curve too fast lose control or collide with trucks.
The I-71 and I-490 interchange: merging traffic, lane changes, and congestion where the two highways meet south of downtown.
The Shoreway: higher speeds, ramps, and merges along the lakefront on both the west and east sides.
Carnegie Avenue: a busy corridor between downtown and University Circle with heavy commuter and hospital traffic.
Euclid Avenue: buses, pedestrians, cyclists, and cars sharing the road through downtown, Midtown, and University Circle.

Crashes on the interstates tend to be more severe because of the speeds involved, and highway car accidents in Cleveland have drawn growing attention in recent years.

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, such as heavy bleeding or a loss of consciousness. Southwest General Health Center, UH St. John Medical Center, 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. Our guide on who to call after a car accident in Cleveland covers the other calls to make.

Cleveland-Area Car Accident Resources

Whether your injuries occurred along State Road-10, IR-90, or US-422, you likely have many unanswered questions and need legal guidance and support. Here are some of KNR’s most valuable resources for car accident victims in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County:

Cleveland Car Accident FAQs

What is the most dangerous highway in Cleveland?

In the Ohio State Highway Patrol data on this page, I-90 has more crashes than any other highway in the Cleveland area, followed by I-480 and US-422. I-90 also includes Dead Man’s Curve near downtown, one of the area’s best-known trouble spots.

How do I get a crash report in Cleveland?

If the Cleveland Division of Police handled the crash, you can request the report from the department once it is complete, usually within several days. Many Ohio crash reports are also available online through the Ohio Department of Public Safety. Our guide on how to get a crash report in Ohio walks through each option.

What should I do after a car accident in Cuyahoga County?

Call 911 if anyone is hurt and make sure police come to file a report. Take photos of the vehicles, the scene, and your injuries, get the other driver’s insurance information, and see a doctor the same day. Do not admit fault or give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer before talking to a lawyer.

How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Ohio?

In most cases, Ohio gives you two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit for injuries or property damage. Some situations have different rules, so it is best to talk to a lawyer well before the deadline.

Contact a Cleveland Car Accident Lawyer

No one is ever prepared to be injured in a car crash. But our Cleveland car accident lawyers will review the details and help explore all your options for financial compensation. If you or someone you love is suffering, do not hesitate to contact Kisling, Nestico & Redick.

With multiple locations across Ohio, KNR proudly serves the Cuyahoga County area and offers 100% free, no-obligation case evaluations. Call (216) 658-1330 to schedule your consultation today.

Source notes: Crash totals, severity, contributing factors, day and hour patterns, and highway figures on this page come from the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s OSTATS Crash Dashboard, which reports five years of Ohio crash data. The 2025 figures are full-year totals for Cuyahoga County.

Cuyahoga County Car Accident Statistics