MAHONING VALLEY Traffic deaths increase patrols

Trumbull County has had 18 traffic fatalities since the first of the year.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- If you live in the southeast sections of Trumbull County, keep a close eye out for an increased presence by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
OSHP officials said additional patrols will be assigned to the area by the Eastwood Mall, Howland and Warren because Trumbull County leads the Mahoning Valley in the number of traffic fatalities.
Trumbull has had 18 traffic fatalities for the first nine months of 2003 and is tied with Stark County for the third-highest fatality rate in the state, OSHP records show. The statistics are from January to September, OSHP officials said.
Elsewhere in Valley
Columbiana County has had 16 fatalities, and Mahoning County, 14, records show.
Even more disturbing is that Trumbull County has more traffic-related deaths this year than it did at this time last year, OSHP officials said. From January to September 2002, the county had 15 people die in car crashes.
"Most of the fatals are happening in the southeast section, and we will be working that area," said Lt. George Williams of the patrol's Southington post.
"The holiday season is coming up, and we hate to have to go to someone's door and tell them that a loved one died in a crash."
Most of the fatal crashes were caused because a driver failed to yield and in some cases the person who died did not wear a seat belt, Williams said.
"We want to try to bring this to everyone's attention so that they are very careful," Williams noted. "We will be looking for failure-to-yield violations and seat-belt violations. My best advice is for people to not just check once but check twice. Make sure traffic is clear."