Traffic deaths in Ohio increase for 2nd straight year

COLUMBUS (AP) — The Ohio State Highway Patrol says the number of traffic deaths around the state has increased for the second year in a row.

The state had at least 1,057 confirmed traffic fatalities in 2015. That’s up from 1,008 for 2014 and 990 confirmed for 2013, which was the lowest reported since the record-keeping started in the 1930s.

Preliminary statistics tallied before New Year’s Eve show at least 42 more deaths from the past year are under review but not yet confirmed as traffic fatalities.

A patrol spokesman says roughly 60 percent of Ohio’s fatal crashes in 2015 involved someone not wearing a seat belt. About one-third involved a driver impaired by alcohol or drugs.

The spokesman says the numbers of fatal crashes involving motorcycles, commercial vehicles and pedestrians each increased compared with 2014.