All 88 Ohio counties will be seeing increased enforcement now through September 5th for people driving under the influence. That also includes "buzzed" driving. In 2021, 12 people died on Ohio roadways over the four-day Labor Day holiday. 25% of those deaths involved an alcohol-impaired driver. If you are going to drink you are encouraged to plan ahead.
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The use of helmets is the greatest defense against serious injury or death. The statistics are eye-catching in that nearly 75% of motorcycle fatalities in Ohio since 2017 resulted from no helmet use. However, it's not just about the experience and safety of the rider but the other motorists on the road. Last year, over half of motorcycle accidents were involved with another vehicle. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is reminding everyone to look twice as they are smaller and hard to see, which also makes it difficult to judge their speed.
The West Central Ohio Safety Council advocates for safety and wellness in the workplace. Tuesday's meeting discussed the ever-pertinent issue of distracted driving. Lieutenant Alec Coil with the Lima Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol was in to discuss the trends they are seeing out on the road and how they are responding on the enforcement side. In Allen County alone, Coil says there have been nearly a thousand distracted driving crashes since 2017, and over 700 citations for distracted driving since 2020. Coil says safety is a personal responsibility for everyone on the road.
Half of the people killed last summer were not the driver of the vehicle. Fatal crashes involving teen drivers double during the summer months, so law enforcement says it is important for parents to talk to their young drivers about safety when they are on the road.
39.2 million people will travel for this long weekend. Despite the average price for a gallon of gas coming in at roughly $4.60 cents a gallon, 88-percent of those are expected to go by car. That means troopers are going to be on the lookout for traffic offenses that could put lives in danger, so they have some advice for those who hit the road for the holiday.
It’s called the “Lima Service Initiative” between the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Lima Police Department. In 2021 there were 24 fatalities in the county with 4 of those within the city of Lima. The two agencies are working together to focus on those areas where crashes occurred.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol would like to remind you to check your vehicles as the weather becomes warmer outside. Meteorological spring is upon us, and troopers say it’s a good time to check your car to make sure it is ready for the road. According to the patrol from 2017 to 2021 vehicle defects were a contributing factor in over 10,200 crashes which resulted in 56 deaths in the state. Brake failures and tire blowouts were the most common causes in vehicle defect related crashes.
Lt. Alec Coil, Post commander of the Ohio Highway Patrol Lima Post, says that leaving early can be the difference in reaching your destination not only on time but safely. Coil also urges drivers to give space to snowplows that they might find on roadways.
The Ohio Highway Patrol Lima Post has a new Post Commander.
With the fall season comes new things to look out for when driving on our local roads. We spoke with the Ohio State Highway Patrol to get some driving safety tips for this time of year.