Cleveland intersections top high crash list in new report

CLEVELAND - It may come as no surprise that Cleveland's Woodland Avenue, E. 55th Street and Kinsman Road intersection is the most dangerous out of every other junction in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Medina, Lake and Lorain counties, according to a new crash study.

From 2007-2009, there have been a total of 161 crashes at the junction.

Cleveland intersections make up eight of the top 10 high crash intersections, a study by the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) shows.

The rankings were compiled based on the number and rate of accidents, along with cost of property damage and injuries.

The crash data for the analysis came from ODOT and did not include accidents on interstates and freeways.

Some positive news the study highlighted: Wrecks, in general, were down in each of the five counties over the past 10 years.

• Cuyahoga County - decrease of 27.2%, or about 11,600 fewer crashes
• Geauga County - decrease in crashes of 25.8% or 686 fewer wrecks
• Lake County - decrease of 22.7%, or 1,618 fewer crashes
• Lorain County - decrease of 19.1%, or 1,542 fewer wrecks
• Medina County - decrease of 13.9%, or 563 fewer crashes

The intersection crash study showed 121 fatalities in 2009, down from the number reported in 2000. Statewide the number of fatal wrecks decreased over the same time frame.

Alcohol-related fatalities continued their alarming trend in the counties covered in the study: 35 percent of all fatalities were alcohol-related.  

Of the 13, 174 crashes in Cleveland in 2009, there were 31 fatalities, 3,636 injuries -- 405 of which involved alcohol.

December is the month with the most alcohol-related crashes. NOACA said the 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. time frame has the highest number of alcohol-related crashes.

Most pedestrian crashes occurred in Cuyahoga County. Nearly half happened between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Animal-related crashes were only 1.3 percent of all crashes in Cuyahoga County, while in the other counties they represented a much higher percentage of total crashes.

• Lake County - 5% of all crashes are animal related
• Lorain County - 8.4% of all crashes are animal related
• Medina County - 10.6% of all crashes are animal related
• Geauga County - 15.5% of all crashes are animal related

NOACA staff is working with the City of Mentor on a pilot study to reduce animal-related crashes. Several locations have been identified within the city where a large percentage of crashes involve wildlife.

Mentor officials are currently evaluating necessary equipment needs and related costs to move forward with this project.

No intersections in Geauga County made the top 100+ high crash intersections list.