OSHP warns of 100 Deadliest Days of Summer on the road
ZANESVILLE, Ohio – As fun summer road trips and summer vacation memories are made, law enforcement is urging caution on the road.
WHIZ visited the Ohio State Highway Patrol Zanesville Post to talk about what they call the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer.
The 100 deadliest days of summer refers to the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day. During that time period last year, 67,847 crashes occurred with 351 fatal crashes, and 384 deaths in the state of Ohio. Lt. Brian Hawkins explains why the Ohio State Highway Patrol emphasizes safety this time of year.
“The reason we talk about it is there’s a lot more traffic on the roadway. With school being out, a lot more kids are out on the roadways with friends in their cars. So there tends to be a little bit more serious injury crashes and just traffic crashes in general,” Hawkins said.
According to the Ohio Statistics and Analytics for Traffic Safety Dashboard, nearly one in three crashes involve a driver between the ages of 15 and 24. That’s why Hawkins has recommendations for parents and their young drivers.
“For the parents, I just advise them to preach to them, ‘don’t be distracted while in your vehicle. Pay attention to what you are doing,’ and I’d say the same to the teen drivers. Put the phones down. If you got friends in your vehicle, don’t be distracted by other people in your vehicle and pay attention to the roadway,” Hawkins said.
In 2025, troopers had made 4,596 OVI arrests, issued 18,259 seat belt citations, and cited 7,567 motorists for driving with a suspended license. If you see reckless or impaired driving, you’re encouraged to call #677 to report it.
