Car Accidents in Columbus, OH: Crash Data and Road Safety
Key crash statistics, high-risk roads, and accident report resources in Columbus, OH.
Our team keeps a close eye on major roads like I-71, I-70, and the Outerbelt, as well as the bustling corridors around Ohio State’s campus. With more than 61,000 students in the area and a growing metro region, we’ve seen firsthand how traffic patterns and road safety concerns impact drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Columbus, OH, or want to learn more about crash trends and road safety in your neighborhood, you’re in the right place. Read on for a detailed look at Columbus crash statistics, step-by-step instructions for getting police reports, and resources to help you stay safe in the city.
Columbus Police Crash Reports and Where to Find Them
The Columbus Division of Police files crash reports electronically with the state. If your crash was handled by a suburban department or another agency, you’ll need to request the report directly from them.
After a Columbus police report is submitted and accepted, you can download it for free from the Ohio Department of Public Safety crash-report site. Paper reports may take several weeks to appear online. If you’d rather ask the City directly, you can use its online Report Request Submission page or fax your request to the Columbus Police Records Section at (614) 645-4001.
Electronic copies are free. Paper copies cost $0.05 per page, payable by cash, money order, or certified check made out to the City of Columbus Treasurer Police. Personal checks aren’t accepted.
If your crash was handled by an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper, you can order the report online after at least seven business days have passed. Ohio law requires a copy to be provided to anyone with an interest in the crash, or their attorney, for a fee. For more details, check out our Ohio crash report guide.
If you’re unsure which agency has your report, or you’d rather not deal with the paperwork, our team can get a copy for you at no charge.
Columbus Corridors on the High-Injury Network
Eight Columbus corridors recorded a combined 93 fatal crashes and 380 serious-injury crashes from 2020 to 2024, according to the City’s July 2026 Vision Zero newsletter. They are Cleveland Avenue, Dublin-Granville Road, S. Hamilton Road, High Street, Livingston Avenue, Morse Road, Parsons Avenue, and Refugee Road, and the City lists multiple segments of each as high-injury network enforcement corridors.
- The newsletter highlights Cleveland Avenue, High Street, and Morse Road: each had at least one fatal crash every year from 2020 through 2024. Cleveland Avenue, in particular, saw pedestrian safety upgrades at seven intersections in 2024, thanks to a partnership with the Ohio Department of Transportation.
- Livingston Avenue at Courtright Road is another trouble spot: A 2022 Ohio Department of Transportation study found that 46% of crashes at this intersection resulted in an injury, much higher than the 25% state average. In June 2026, the City installed temporary barriers as a demonstration project, removing the right-turn lane to help improve safety.
- East Broad Street, from Parsons Avenue to Nelson Road: This was the site of a protected bike lane demonstration project in 2024. According to the Columbus Dispatch’s “Getting There” column, crashes on this stretch dropped from 28 in the first half of 2024 to 13 in the same period of 2025. Excessive speeding, 20 mph or more over the limit, also fell by 89%.
Traffic Deaths on Columbus Streets, 2021 to 2025
| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
| People killed on Columbus streets | 48 (preliminary) | 2025 | City of Columbus, Vision Zero Columbus 2025 Annual Report |
| People killed, and fatal crashes | 52 killed in 48 fatal crashes | 2024 | City of Columbus, Vision Zero Columbus Annual Report 2024 |
| People killed | 73 | 2021 | City of Columbus, Vision Zero Columbus Annual Report 2024 |
| Fatal crashes on arterial roads | 35 of 48 (73%) | 2024 | City of Columbus, Vision Zero Columbus 2025 Annual Report |
| Fatal and serious-injury crashes on the high-injury network | 52% of them, on 7% of city streets | Current (2025 report) | City of Columbus, Vision Zero Columbus 2025 Annual Report |
| Fatal and serious-injury crashes between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. | About 30% | Current (Feb 2026) | City of Columbus, Vision Zero newsletter |
Death counts are based on the City’s Vision Zero Columbus annual reports. The 2025 figure is about a third lower than in 2021, though it’s still above the pre-Vision Zero average of 44 deaths a year (2015–2019). The 2025 report also found that 58% of 2024’s fatal crashes happened on roads with four or more travel lanes. Statistics about overnight crashes come from the City’s February 2026 Vision Zero newsletter.
Level I Trauma Centers in Columbus
Three Columbus hospitals are verified as Level I trauma centers by the American College of Surgeons, according to the Ohio EMS list updated July 1, 2026: Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, and OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital. OhioHealth Grant is the only adult hospital in downtown Columbus that offers a full range of medical services and specialties.
For children, Nationwide Children’s Hospital (700 Children’s Drive) is a Level I pediatric trauma center, verified by the American College of Surgeons.
Once the immediate care is sorted out, we can put you in touch with local help, from doctors and body shops to injury attorneys. Contact our team.
Columbus Crash Questions
How many people die in traffic crashes in Columbus each year?
Preliminary City figures show that 48 people died on Columbus streets in 2025. In 2024, there were 52 deaths in 48 fatal crashes, according to the City’s Vision Zero annual report. In 2021, 73 people lost their lives, so yearly deaths have dropped by about a third since then.
Which Columbus streets does the City treat as high-injury corridors?
Columbus’s eight high-injury enforcement corridors are Cleveland Avenue, Dublin-Granville Road, S. Hamilton Road, High Street, Livingston Avenue, Morse Road, Parsons Avenue, and Refugee Road. Together, these roads saw 93 fatal and 380 serious-injury crashes from 2020 to 2024. Cleveland, High, and Morse each had at least one deadly crash every year during that period.
How do I get a Columbus police crash report?
Columbus police file crash reports electronically with the Ohio Department of Public Safety. Once accepted, you can download your report for free from the state’s crash-report site. You can also request a copy from the City through their online Report Request Submission page or by fax to the Police Records Section. Printed copies cost five cents per page.
When do serious crashes happen in Columbus?
About 30 percent of fatal and serious-injury crashes in Columbus happen between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., according to the City’s Vision Zero program. Road type matters too: of the 48 fatal crashes in 2024, 35 happened on arterial roads, and 58 percent were on roads with four or more travel lanes.
Franklin County Accident Reports on Local Accident Reports
Pedestrian Critical After Hit-and-Run Crash on E Broad St in Columbus, OH
Driver Critically Injured After Truck Hits Stopped Car on I-270 WB in Obetz, OH
Three Injured After Single-Vehicle Crash on Firstgate Dr in Reynoldsburg, OH
Fatal Crash on I-270 Ramp in Hamilton Township, OH
Fatal Two-Truck Crash on US-23 Ramp in Columbus, OH
At Local Accident Reports, we cover crashes in all fifty states. But that’s not all; we also report the latest crashes county by county, not just state by state. Our goal is to give drivers and other road users reliable, up-to-date crash information for any location they’re interested in.
Here, you’ll find some of the most recent crashes in Franklin County, which includes Columbus, Hamilton Township, Prairie Township, and Obetz. You can view the full archive in our Franklin County accident news section.
Columbus isn’t the only Ohio city with trouble spots. We keep a separate list of dangerous roads and intersections in Ohio, and our recent accident alerts pick up new wrecks as they’re reported.
Local Accident Reports compiles this information from public agency sources and published reports for general reference. It is not legal advice and is not an official police record. Fees, forms and deadlines change, so confirm with the agency before you send a request. Last updated October 2026.