OHIO, USA — You may want to share a toast or two over the next few days to bring in the new year, but Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) wants to remind you to celebrate with a plan.
During the 2022-2023 New Year’s holiday, OSHP troopers recorded 11 fatal crashes and 13 deaths. Over that four-day reporting period, alcohol and drugs were a factor in nine fatal crashes. In the 10 fatalities in which safety belts were available, eight were unbelted and two motorcyclists and one pedestrian were killed during the holiday reporting period.
This year OSHP wants to see those numbers come down and report fewer crashes, injuries and fatalities.
RELATED: Officials: Over 300 drivers arrested in Ohio for driving impaired over Thanksgiving holiday
To enjoy the weekend celebrations here are a few things the patrol said you should know and prepare to do.
1. Plan to have a designated sober driver and them aware of where you plan to travel and how they can get to you if you need them.
2. Make arrangements with a ride share organization like an Uber and/or Lyft and have the app available on your phone. You may be eligible for special offers or discount codes over the holiday weekend.
3. Driving impaired or distracted is a traffic offense and can lead to fines and charges.
Troopers made 219 impaired driving arrest last year during the New Year weekend.
"If you get stopped with an OVI and charged you can face up to six months in jail, and that's the max sentence, but it goes well beyond the fine," Sergeant Ryan Purpura with OSHP said. "It really comes down to the fact that you could hurt yourself or somebody else, or kill yourself or somebody else on the roadways. So that's why we really discourage people getting behind the wheel impaired. We are not saying don't have a good time, but just be responsible."
It is also important to remember that this is the first New Year holiday with Ohio's new distracted driver laws. State Troopers are looking for people who are driving recklessly and distracted by their phones or other devices.
Law enforcement want to encourage you to commit to following all the laws for your safety, including buckling your seat belt.
"It just takes a couple seconds to buckle up," Purpura said. "This past Christmas we had eight fatal crashes across the state and nine people lost their lives, and five of those were not wearing safety belts. We encourage you to take the seconds to buckle up."
This year the New Year’s holiday reporting period begins Friday, Dec. 29 at midnight and ends on Monday, Jan. 1 at 11:59 p.m. During this time, you may see a heightened OSHP presence as the troopers will take to the roadways to enforce the driver safety laws.
If you are out on the roadway and see someone driving impaired or distracted, you are also encouraged to call #677 to alert the nearest trooper.
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