COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) has released its traffic safety statistics for the Labor Day reporting period, which spanned from midnight on Friday, August 30 to 11:59 p.m. on Monday, September 2. During this time, 15 individuals lost their lives in 15 separate traffic crashes across the state. Two of those people were from Ross and Hocking Counties.
Out of the fatal crashes where safety belts were available, seven victims were found to be unbelted. Despite Ohio’s safety belt law being a secondary offense, troopers maintained a strict zero-tolerance policy during the holiday period. Drivers who were stopped for other violations and found not wearing their seatbelts were cited. Over the reporting period, troopers issued more than 2,000 citations for safety belt and child safety seat violations.
The report also highlights that six of the fatal crashes involved operating a vehicle under the influence (OVI). In response to impaired driving, troopers made 378 arrests for drunk driving and 50 arrests related to drug charges. Overall, the Patrol handled 519 crash responses and made 25,674 traffic contacts.
In addition, 930 citations were issued for distracted driving, reflecting ongoing efforts to address this growing concern. Troopers also assisted 1,829 motorists throughout the weekend.
The OSHP remains committed to ensuring road safety and will continue its efforts to reduce traffic-related fatalities and violations.
