Drunk Driving Related Car Accidents Lead to Serious Injuries or Deaths in Ohio

As car accident lawyers, we know how dangerous it can be to get behind the wheel while intoxicated. However, even with our extensive experience in personal injury law, we are often surprised when we see the data that is released annually by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Our team of lawyers has reviewed this data from 2019 to bring you the documented risks to be aware of on Ohio roads.

Car Accidents in Ohio: By the Numbers

Every year, the Ohio State Highway Patrol publishes data about traffic enforcement and car accidents and crashes. While this data set omits many local car accidents, it offers a detailed view into trends and risks for drivers on Ohio roads. By taking the time to better understand this data, our team of personal injury lawyers hopes that we can encourage safety and improve the quality of life in Ohio. In 2019, the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) reports the following highlights:

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Total OSHP Contacts in 2019

Percentage of Enforcement Stops

Fatal Car Accidents in Ohio in 2019

Impaired Drivers Arrested by OHSP in 2019

The Risk of Drunk Drivers in Ohio

The serious risks of drinking and driving are widely known. These risks often lead to serious injury or death for a variety of reasons. When a driver is intoxicated, they have slower reaction time, decreased inhibition and a reduction in motor skill. This combination leads to deadly consequences when behind the wheel. In fact, the NHTSA estimates that every day in the United States, 30 people die in drunk driving crashes. They estimate that the total cost of drunk-driving crashes exceeds $44 billion dollars per year in the United States. When intoxicated, the decline in visual and cognitive functions have been proved to negatively affect reaction time, multitasking, signal detection and ability to maintain lane position. The statistics from OHSP supports the unfortunate reality that drunk driving crashes in Ohio are extremely dangerous.

In 2019, out of a total of 1,041 fatal crashes in Ohio – 529 were alcohol related.

This means that in Ohio in 2019 – 51% percent of all fatal car accidents were caused by an intoxicated driver. This is a staggering number, and it shows that drunk driving greatly increases the risk of causing serious injury or death in Ohio. This is a shocking percentage, and is much higher than the national average. The NHTSA states that nationally, approximately one-third of all traffic fatalities in involve drunk drivers with a BAC of .08 or higher. Ohio was nearly 20% higher than the national average in 2019.

OVI Arrests in Ohio

Due to the severity of OVI related car accidents, OHSP enforces OVI laws throughout the State of Ohio. Every year, they report these statistics. In 2019, OHSP made 22,523 OVI arrests throughout Ohio. The location of these arrests are as follows:

In 2019, OHSP made 22,523 OVI/DUI arrests in Ohio
There were 4,094 fewer OVI arrests in 2019 than 2018
OVI arrests occurred most frequently in Franklin (1,986), Cuyahoga (1,086), Summit (814), Hamilton (733) and Lucas (732) Counties.
These 5 counties accounted for nearly 25% of all OVI/DUI arrests in Ohio in 2019

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About the Authors: Sawan & Sawan is a Toledo, Ohio based law firm representing clients in the areas of Personal Injury, Truck Accidents, and Car Accidents with lawyers licensed to practice in Ohio, Michigan and Georgia.