The Allen County Coroner has released the Fatal Crash Report for 2020, and the numbers are slightly up from the previous year.
There were 10 fatal crashes resulting in 10 deaths in Allen County during 2020. This is up from 6 crashes with 9 deaths in 2019. 70% of crashes occurred during dark hours, which is not consistent with data from years past. 60% of the fatal crashes last year are believed to have involved drug or alcohol impairment, and 4 of the 10 deaths occurred over a holiday period. There were no motorcyclists involved in any fatalities.
The Allen County Coroner, Dr. John Meyer, says they use these annual reports to compare over time, and get to the root of what is causing these deadly crashes.
“From here we try to develop different ways to make it safer on the roads," says Meyer. "We try to get people to understand that it’s not a good idea to drive impaired, you know, use good judgement. Follow the laws.”
Lt. Tim Grigsby with the Ohio State Highway Patrol Lima Post says after reviewing the report, there wasn’t much of a pattern in crashes last year, but they are usually caused by preventable means.
"The fatalities that happened in 2020 kind of happened all over the place. There was a variety of different reasons that they took place," says Grigsby. "But one of the things that is kind of a common denominator is typically they have to do with is people not planning ahead, using drugs or alcohol to drive, not wearing their seat belts. Also they’re speed related. They’re in a hurry, they’re going through stop signs and what not.”
To review the full fatal crash report for 2020, visit the Lima/Allen County Regional Planning Commission website.
