Ohio State Highway Patrol Reports 23 Deaths, 398 OVI Arrests Over Labor Day Weekend

The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported 23 deaths in 20 fatal crashes over the four-day Labor Day weekend reporting period, which began Friday, August 29 at midnight and concluded Monday, September 1 at 11:59 p.m.

According to preliminary Patrol statistics, at least four of the 20 fatal crashes recorded over the Labor Day weekend were OVI-related.

In a continued effort to lower that number to zero, troopers made 398 arrests for impaired driving and 67 for drug-related charges.

In the fatalities in which a safety belt was available, seven were unbelted.

Although Ohio’s safety belt law remains a secondary violation, troopers continue to have zero tolerance during the holiday reporting period when motorists were stopped for a violation and found to not being wearing a safety belt.

Throughout the four-day reporting period, troopers issued 1,872 safety belt citations.

Additionally, troopers responded to 490 crashes, issued 1,308 citations for distracted driving, and provided assistance to 1,568 motorists.

Motorists are encouraged to contribute to a safer Ohio by calling #677 to report drug activity and dangerous or impaired driving on Ohio roadways.