COLUMBUS, Ohio — (The video above is from November 2020)
In an effort to curb work zone crashes and further empower the public, the Ohio State Highway Patrol released a new dashboard devoted to work zone safety.
The Work Zone Dashboard is a detailed view of work zones across Ohio and the work that troopers around the state are doing to make them safer.
The new Work Zone Dashboard is a part of the Ohio Statistics and Analytics for Traffic Safety (OSTATS), a series of internal and public-facing dashboards dedicated to exploration, analysis, and visualization of crash data across Ohio.
On the Work Zone Dashboard, you can filter data and find the exact statistics they’re looking for, while also getting a front-seat view of what troopers do every day in Ohio’s work zones.
Dashboard users can look at their own counties and routes, providing flexibility for them to get the exact data they want. An interactive map on the dashboard plots high-priority work zones throughout the state, and you can view videos of troopers enforcing work zone violations.
“Ohio’s work zones are a top priority for the Patrol, making sure that everyone has a safe driving and working environment,” said Colonel Richard S. Fambro, Patrol superintendent. “Troopers are committed to making work zones safer through focused enforcement and taking dangerous drivers off the road.”
Troopers on the ground are also assisted by troopers in the air from the Patrol’s Aviation Section. Throughout Ohio’s construction season, the Patrol’s Aviation Section has been utilized by focusing on dangerous speeds and distracted driving in work zones.
The Patrol is dedicated to using every available resource to make these zones safer, making sure everyone gets to their destination safely.
Since 2015, there have been over 32,500 crashes in Ohio work zones, with 114 of them killing 126 people. During the same timeframe, troopers have issued over 72,500 citations, with 34% of those being for driving 20 mph or more over the posted speed limit.
As holiday travel continues, safety for everyone driving through and working in work zones will be an important focus for the Patrol. Troopers remind motorists to follow speed limits, always buckle up, maintain safe following distance, and never drive impaired or distracted.
The Work Zone Dashboard can be viewed at: http://www.WorkZoneDashboard.ohio.gov