COLUMBUS – Despite predictions of all-time high traffic volume, the Ohio State Highway Patrol is reporting the fewest fatalities on Ohio roadways since 2018 for this Thanksgiving weekend.
According to the patrol’s provisional statistics, eight people were killed in seven crashes, fewer than half the number over the same holiday weekend in either of the last two years (see graph).
Of the eight people killed, one was not wearing a safety belt and one crash involved impaired driving, patrol spokesman Lt. Nathan Dennis said.
Two of this year’s fatalities were in Franklin County.
During the reporting period — from Wednesday, Nov. 22 at midnight through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 26 – Dennis says troopers arrested 319 people for operating a vehicle while impaired and 111 for illegal drugs.
Troopers also issued citations for 526 safety belt and 181 distracted driving violations during the first holiday travel period since active enforcement of Ohio’s new distracted-driving law began.