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ODOT and OSHP rolling out new message board campaign
By ROBERT CONNELLY
CANFIELD
State officials unveiled an educational initiative to use message boards in Mahoning and Trumbull counties to display the number oftraffic deaths on Ohio roads.
The boards also will display enforcement slogans such as “drive sober or get pulled over” or “click it or ticket.”
The Ohio Department of Transportation is partnering with the Ohio State Highway Patrol to use digital message boards in high-visibility areas. In Mahoning County, a board will be at Interstate 76 and state Route 45 in North Jackson and in Trumbull County it will be at Interstate 80 and Logan Way in Liberty. The alternating messages of traffic deaths, to be updated weekly, and enforcement slogans will run 24 hours a day on weekends and from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays.
“Unfortunately traffic deaths are up 19 percent this year compared to 2014. So far we have reported about 76 more deaths in 2015,” said Brent Kovacs, ODOT spokesperson. The number of traffic deaths statewide as of Wednesday night was 487.
Kovacs said deaths in January, February and May were “significantly higher than previous years.”
“The enforcement and outreach campaign is meant to remind motorists of the critical role in preventing traffic deaths. More than 90 percent of all traffic crashes involve human error,” he said. Kovacs also said this year has featured:
A 27 percent increase in deaths of drivers 64 or older; 75 percent of the time older drivers were at fault.
A 72 percent increase in pedestrian deaths. Nearly 70 percent happened in January and February. Pedestrians were at fault 42 percent of the time.
An 81 percent increase in deaths involving commercial motor vehicles. Of those, 65 percent were caused by other vehicles.
“Those are numbers, but those are families. Those are lives that are affected,” said Lt. Nakia Hendrix, commander of the OSHP Canfield Post. “Those people are mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts, sons, daughters. They affect families. We need to change that trend.”
Of the 487 traffic deaths statewide, there are nine fatal crashes in Mahoning County so far this year with 10 deaths. That compares with four crashes the same time last year. “Four of them involved impaired driving. That continues to be a cause ... in these fatal crashes,” Hendrix said.
In Trumbull County, there were five fatal crashes at this point in the year both in 2014 and 2015.
“The only good news is that motorcycle deaths are down 9 percent compared to this time last year,” Kovacs said.
He also said May 2015 was the worst May in 10 years with the largest increase in the categories of young drivers, ages 15 to 25. “For young drivers, seat belt and alcohol were a factor. The number of fatal crashes involving alcohol tripled. The number of fatal crashes involving unbelted drivers or passengers doubled. Rural crashes increased 53 percent compared to May of last year,” Kovacs said.
Area motorists can expect to see the messages by Friday as the holiday weekend begins.
Hendrix said OSHP will have a presence on the roadways during the holiday. ODOT officials said the signs will remain through this summer and into the fall.