Distracted Driving Crashes Decrease in Ohio

Traffic crashes in Ohio significantly decreased in the year since enforcement of Ohio’s strengthened distracted driving law began.

Local peace officers and the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) began enforcing Ohio’s new distracted driving law in October 2023, following a six-month grace period for motorists. The law prohibits all drivers, in most circumstances, from using or holding a cell phone or electronic device while driving. 

According to preliminary data from OSHP, there were about 1,112 fewer distracted driving crashes in Ohio from October 5, 2023, to October 4, 2024, compared to the 12 months prior. Fatal crashes attributed to distracted driving dropped 19.4%. 

The impact of the new law is also reflected in the overall decrease in crashes in Ohio, supporting the theory that drivers don’t always admit to driving distracted before a collision.

Preliminary data from OSHP shows that from October 5, 2023, to October 4, 2024, there were nearly 15,400 fewer motor vehicle crashes compared to the 12 months prior. The total number of traffic fatalities also dropped with 138 fewer people killed.