Patrol notes increase in fatalities during New Year’s holiday

Patrol notes increase in fatalities during New Year’s holiday

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State Highway Patrol is reporting 10 deaths on Ohio’s roadways during the 2020-2021 New Year’s holiday according to provisional statistics. Two fatalities were the result of not wearing a safety belt when available, four were OVI-related and five were pedestrians. The four-day reporting period began at midnight Thursday, December 31, 2020 and ran through 11:59 p.m. on January 3, 2021. This is higher than the two-day reporting period last year, when four fatalities were reported.

Troopers made 3,979 traffic enforcement contacts; including 303 OVI arrests, 115 distracted driving and 478 safety belt citations.

The public is encouraged to continue using #677 to report dangerous or impaired drivers, as well as drug activity.