COLUMBUS, Ohio (ADAMS) – The Ohio State Highway Patrol says 13 people died on the highways during the long Thanksgiving weekend this year.
According to a report released yesterday, four deaths resulted from motorists not wearing safety belts, while three others were from operating a vehicle under the influence. Troopers with the State Patrol said the 13 fatalities this year are two more than the number of people killed during the same holiday period in 2020.
The Patrol said it made nearly 3,000 traffic and motorist assistance stops over the holiday with almost 450 OVI arrests, nearly 670 seatbelt violations, and just over 100 distracted driver violations.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol released the following:
According to provisional statistics, 13 people were killed on Ohio’s roadways this Thanksgiving holiday. During the five-day reporting period, from Wednesday, November 24 at midnight through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 28, 13 people were killed in 10 fatal crashes. In 2020, there were 11 fatal crashes in which 11 people were killed.
Of the 13 killed, one was a pedestrian, four were not wearing a seat belt and three crashes involved impaired driving.
Troopers arrested 300 people for operating a vehicle while impaired and 147 for drugs. Troopers also issued citations for 669 safety belt and 106 distracted driving violations. Throughout the holiday reporting period, troopers also assisted 1,822 motorists.
A statistical analysis of the Patrol’s enforcement activity over the holiday is available here.