OSHP Cautions Drivers During Holiday Season

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – As the holiday season continues on through New
Years Day, more and more Ohioans are traveling on the roadways across
the state. The sudden influx of motorists is accompanied by the
increased risk for traffic accidents. The Ohio State Highway Patrol
is reminding motorists to be careful and obey all traffic laws when
traveling for the holidays. Sergeant Nathan Dennis, with the Highway
Patrol, says the first step is maintaining focus while driving.

“Well, obviously
for the holidays we’re looking at busier roads—obviously, heavier
traffic. We just first and foremost want to remind drivers to stay
focused on the roadway. Try to avoid those distractions; put the
phone down—just stay focused and be aware of your surroundings as
you’re traveling.”

In addition to
staying focused and eliminating distractions, the patrol is also
cautioning motorists not to drive while impaired. 8 OVI related
crashes and 34 OVI arrests have been made in Muskingum County to date
since Thanksgiving.

“We’ve seen a
significant increase; especially when you look a year ago at the 2018
holiday. That was significantly higher for us and for our post
area—which is Muskingum County and Coshocton County. Statewide, the
numbers have increased as well. For this county in particular, when
you compare it to a couple years ago in 2016—we’ve seen about a
25 percent increase in OVI arrests and we’ve seen almost a 230
percent increase in OVI related crashes.”

The Ohio State
Highway Patrol recommends planning ahead if you plan to consume
alcohol during the holidays by securing a designated driver or
calling a taxi.