Highway Patrol Talks Christmas Driving

MUSKINGUM COINTY, Ohio-The Zanesville post of the state highway patrol was pleased with the Christmas weekend which ran from the 24th to the 27th this year. 

Traffic safety incidents were much different than they were during the Christmas reporting period in 2019. Trooper Brice Nihiser tells us more. 

“This year over the Christmas holiday we saw a reduction in fatal crashes, that’s based on preliminary data, which is always something we’re looking for after a major holiday like this… because last year was only a two day reporting period our numbers look much higher this year than they did last year, obviously, because it was only a two day reporting period last year.”

COVID-19 may have also been a contributing factor. Drivers across the country have been more homebound than they have in years past. 

“With COVID-19 obviously we would expect that there will be a decrease in traffic and everything else. It doesn’t really matter for us, no matter what the traffic levels are on what we see out on the roads we’re going to work with whatever traffic we have and keep everyone safe.”, Nihiser continued.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol reminds drivers to not drive impaired or distracted.