OSP reports fewer roadway fatalities during Memorial Day weekend

While the number of fatalities on Ohio roadways during Memorial Day weekend declined for a third consecutive year, the number of contacts troopers made with drivers are on the rise, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol.

The patrol confirms 14 fatalities for the four-day period that began on Friday (May 26) and continued through the holiday (May 29).

The patrol, according to information released Wednesday, has for the last two years recorded the following fatalities:

15 in 2016
16 in 2015

Other enforcement contacts are on the rise, according to OSP. The state patrol made 33,548 enforcement contacts during the four-day period:

801 resulting in OVI arrests, an increase of eight percent from 2016
554 drug arrests, a 26 percent increase from 2016 and
7,846 safety belt citations, a nine percent increase year over year

Col. Paul A. Pride, OSP superintendent, said, "We take enforcing traffic laws seriously, and troopers were highly visible this weekend to respond to the heavy Memorial Day traffic. We thank everyone who slowed down, buckled up and designated sober drivers this weekend. We ask that you do the same every time you get behind the wheel."

The six-state trooper project, which focused on seat belt enforcement from May 22 through Memorial Day, resulted in the issuing of 9,533 citations.

The trooper project included state police from Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia as well as Ohio.

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