COLUMBUS, Ohio — Editor's Note: The above story aired on December 11, 2020
The Ohio State Highway Patrol has released provisional statistics from their four-day Christmas holiday report period.
The statistics show that fewer motorists were killed on Ohio's roadways this Christmas holiday, when compared to the previous two years.
The reporting period began on Thursday, December 24 at 12:00 a.m. and ran until Sunday, December 27 at 11:59 p.m. During this period, nine people were killed in seven fatal crashes. The report also states that 66 percent of those killed in the crashes were not wearing their seatbelt during the crash.
In addition, state troopers removed 142 impaired drivers from the roads during the holiday, a 137 percent spike compared to last year.
In 2019, a reported 12 people were killed in car accidents over the course of December 23 to December 25. In 2018, 11 people were killed in fatal crashes in the reporting period from December 21 to December 25.
The general public is encouraged to report dangerous, suspected impaired drivers or suspicious activity by dialing #677 on their phones.
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Editor's Note: The below story aired on November 10, 2020