TrafficWise - October 17, 2022

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TrafficWise

October 17, 2022

Year-to-Date Confirmed Traffic Fatalities, Current versus 2021 Traffic Fatalities

Fatal Crash Stats 1017

FATAL CRASHES 2022 YEAR TO DATE MAP can be found here.

OSTATS CRASH DASHBOARD can be found here.

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OTSO Introducing New Driver Safety Tools for Teens

October 16-22 is National Teen Driver Safety Week

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—In recognition of National Teen Driver Safety Week, The Ohio Traffic Safety Office is announcing two new tools that will soon be available for parents and driving school instructors to help better prepare young drivers who are still gaining experience behind the wheel.

New, localized traffic safety bulletins and an all-digital Ohio Driver's Permit Packet are coming soon to the Ohio Traffic Safety Office's (OTSO) website.

Digital Driver Permit Packet

OTSO is simplifying the process to find information needed for obtaining a driver's permit. All documents relevant to teen driver training and obtaining an Ohio driver’s license will soon be digitally available on OTSO's Teach Your Teen to Drive website. A QR code linking to the Ohio Driver's Permit Packet will also be displayed at all Ohio BMV driver exam stations and deputy registrar license agencies.

The new guide is designed to answer the most common questions that teen drivers and parents have about getting licensed to drive in Ohio. It also addresses teen driver safety risks like impaired driving and distracted driving and outlines the importance of following speed limits, limiting passengers, and wearing seatbelts. Although this information has always been available on the Ohio BMV website, it has not been packaged together in one place, until now. 

 

Driver Training Bulletins

In partnership with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, OTSO will biannually publish 88 county-specific driver training bulletins for use by parents, teachers, and driving instructors to help educate young drivers on local-level driving trends, dangerous roads and intersections, and seatbelt usage.

"We are continuously looking for ways to equip Ohio's young drivers with information to help them make good decisions behind the wheel," said Governor DeWine. "Each county in Ohio has unique driver-safety issues based on varying landscapes, population, and roads, so this local information can help parents and driving instructors determine which driving skills to focus on with new and practicing drivers."

In addition to making the bulletins available on the Driver Training website, OTSO will distribute the publications to all driver training schools in the state so that instructors can adapt behind-the-wheel training to their local area.

“A majority of all crashes are caused by driver error, and that’s definitely true for new teen drivers who are still getting used to being behind the wheel,” said OTSO Director Felice Moretti. “The information presented on these data sheets is like having an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper in the classroom and will help young drivers develop good decision-making and safe driving habits that can last a lifetime.”

According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Ohio ranks seventh in the United States for fatal crashes in 2021 (1,351) – a 9.8% increase from the year before. In 2021 - 37,552 crashes in Ohio were considered teen-related.

As a division within the Ohio Department of Public Safety, OTSO’s mission is to save lives and reduce injuries on Ohio’s roads through leadership and partnering efforts with others interested in traffic safety, utilizing the most innovative and efficient methods possible of managing state and federal resources.

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