COLUMBUS, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP), and the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) are urging drivers to prioritize safe behaviors this holiday season to ensure Ohio achieves its goal of four straight years of declining traffic fatalities.

Ohio has seen a reduction in roadway deaths for three consecutive years since a peak of 1,356 in 2021. Fatalities fell to 1,275 in 2022, 1,242 in 2023, and 1,157 in 2024. However, state agencies are launching a year-end enforcement and education blitz after current crash data showed 2025 deaths are tracking closely with last year’s pace.

As of Nov. 13, 2025, there have been 976 lives lost on Ohio roads, compared to 1,029 at the same point in 2024.

“We’ve made tremendous progress in saving lives on Ohio roadways, but we can’t afford to let up now,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “Every driver plays a role in keeping this positive trend going by staying alert, slowing down, and always buckling up.”

The year-end blitz will target the four behaviors that most often lead to deadly crashes: distraction, impairment, lack of seat belt use, and speeding.

Governor DeWine has made roadway safety a top priority, increasing funding for ODOT’s Highway Safety Improvement Program, which is now one of the largest in the nation and funds projects targeting high-crash locations.

“With record investments in roadway safety, engineering can only go so far,” said ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn. “We need drivers to take responsibility and do their part to make safe decisions behind the wheel.”

According to the OSHP, speed, impairment, and failure to wear a seat belt remain major factors. In 2024, data showed 43% of traffic deaths involved drugs, 32% involved alcohol impairment, 34% involved unbelted occupants, and 30% were from crashes involving excessive speed. Troopers will increase visibility and enforcement through the end of the year.

“Our message is simple: We want everyone to make it home for the holidays and enjoy time together,” said Colonel Charles A. Jones, superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. “Put the phone away, buckle up, drive sober, and make the safe choice every time you get behind the wheel.”

OTSO Director Emily Davidson added that the state is “close to achieving a fourth straight year of declining traffic fatalities—a milestone made possible by the everyday choices Ohioans make behind the wheel.”