Provisional numbers released by the Ohio State Highway Patrol show more motorists were killed on Ohio’s roadways this Thanksgiving Holiday than in recent years. During the five day reporting period, from Wednesday, November 26, at 12 a.m. until Sunday, November 30, 2014 at 11:59 p.m., 19 people were killed on Ohio’s roadways. This is an increase from the past three years when 17 were killed in 2013, 12 were killed in 2012 and 17 were killed in 2011.
Of the 19 killed, seven were not wearing an available safety belt, five were killed in OVI-related crashes and four were pedestrians.
The Patrol arrested 444 drivers for OVI, cited 655 for aggressive driving and cited 1,316 for not wearing safety belts.
The Patrol says they were involved in 426 “incidents” in Marion County, the most of surrounding counties. Delaware County was next with 306 incidents.
Provisional statistics through November of this year show that OVI-related fatal crashes are down with 295 killed in 2014 compared to 317 in the same time period in 2013. Additionally, those killed while not wearing an available safety belt has also declined during the same period, with 367 this year and 393 in 2013.
A complete statistical analysis of the Patrol’s enforcement activity over the holiday weekend is available at statepatrol.ohio.gov.