Ohio’s traffic deaths are up nearly 10 percent over this time last year, and the state is trying to curb the numbers heading into the holiday-driving season.
The Ohio Highway Patrol and Ohio Department of Transportation planted 1,070 chairs on the department’s Columbus lawn today to commemorate those who have died.
Patrol Superintendent Col. Paul Pride says he and his officers a have had to notify too many families of such deaths.
“They don’t know why a guy dressed like me or a gal dressed like me is standing on a porch, on the steps of their home. Something inside them tells them that it’s not going to be good news, and it's not: 1,070 times we have delivered that message just in 2015. That’s too many times. And these are preventable."
Pride says nearly all the fatal crashes are linked to driving under the influence, without seatbelts, too fast or while distracted.
Ohio had the lowest number of traffic fatalities on record in 2013, with 990. The highest number was in 1969, with nearly 2,800.
