A pandemic-dominated 2020 saw fewer cars on Ohio roads. With more space for motorists came a reduction of all accidents by 17 percent. However, the motor vehicle collision numbers are not all good news.
While the roads were risky for a reduced number of travelers, fatalities saw a tragic ten percent increase last year. Out of the 13,136 Operating a Vehicle While Impaired (OVI) accidents, 685 resulted in death. In 2019, 13,047 drunk driving crashes occurred, with 597 people dying.
The dangers of driving in certain Ohio counties
Going back to 2016, Ohio is close to exceeding 80,000 drunk driving accidents, according to the state’s OVI data site. More than 71,000 crashes in Ohio attributed to impaired driving – more than 2,700 of which were fatal. To date, troopers are closing in on issuing close to 135,000 OVI citations, with nearly a third going to repeat offenders.
With Montgomery County leading the way, a recent study reveals Ohio’s “tragic top ten” using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System:
| County | OVI Death Percentages | Fatality Rate (per 100,000) | Number of OVI Deaths | All Traffic-Related Deaths | County Population |
| Montgomery County | 37% | 17.5 | 93 | 254 | 532,331 |
| Summit County | 35% | 11.6 | 63 | 179 | 541,918 |
| Franklin County | 33% | 10.8 | 141 | 431 | 1,310,300 |
| Lucas County | 32% | 14.7 | 63 | 194 | 429,899 |
| Butler County | 31% | 11.5 | 44 | 142 | 382,378 |
| Stark County | 30% | 13.7 | 51 | 167 | 371,574 |
| Lorain County | 30% | 2.6 | 41 | 136 | 309,461 |
| Mahoning County | 29% | 2.5 | 29 | 99 | 229,642 |
| Clermont County | 28% | 2.4 | 25 | 88 | 205,466 |
| Delaware County | 28% | 2.1 | 21 | 109 | 329,261 |
Driving anywhere close to a drunk driver can result in life-changing and life-ending outcomes. Operating a car under the influence goes beyond negligence. Those responsible face criminal charges.
If you suffered injuries or the tragic loss of a loved one in a DUI accident, a skilled attorney could provide another form of justice.
