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December 2, 2024

Year-to-Date Confirmed Fatalities, Current vs 2023 Fatalities

FATAL CRASHES 2024 YEAR TO DATE MAP can be found here.

OSTATS CRASH DASHBOARD can be found here.

Resources Available from State Agencies to Keep Older Drivers Safe

Older Driver Safety Awareness Week is December 2-6, 2024 – a time to promote awareness of the resources that have been developed for Ohio families. Programs are available from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO), and the Ohio Department of Aging (ODA) to prevent serious injuries and fatalities among Ohio’s older drivers.

People aged 65 and older make up the fastest-growing segment of drivers nationally and in Ohio.

• By 2030, the state will have more than 4.8 million residents who are 65 and older.
• Older road users are over-represented in crashes, serious injuries, and fatalities.
• According to crash data from ODOT, older road users make up 23% of all traffic fatalities in the last three years.

This year’s theme for Older Driver Safety Awareness Week (ODSAW) is “Understand, Be Proactive, Plan”, stressing the importance of everyone working together to support older Ohioans driving as long as possible, and as safe as possible.

Help us promote Ohio's resources for older driver safety! A social media toolkit is available for download on OTSO's website here: Older Driver Safety Awareness Week | Ohio Traffic Safety Office

Understand: It’s important for older drivers to understand that the fit of their vehicle’s restraint system, visibility, and knowledge of vehicle controls can make a difference in reducing injuries in the event of a crash. OTSO has been working to expand CarFit, an educational program developed by AAA, AARP, and the American Occupational Therapy Association aimed at improving older driver safety and comfort behind the wheel. At a CarFit event, trained volunteers complete a 12-point checklist with each driver. Find an event near you by visiting https://car-fit.org/ “CarFit is not about assessing someone’s driving skills,” said Kimberly Schwind, Assistant Director of the Ohio Traffic Safety Office. “Instead, it’s about finding each driver’s best position in a vehicle to keep them driving safely. Older adults who participate in one of these events often leave with some kind of new tip or solution to help them become a safer, more confident driver.” Safe driver courses can also help older drivers understand age-related physical changes and learn up-to-date driving techniques. Drivers can access several online courses, such as those offered through AARP or AAA. In addition, OTSO also has approved in-person mature driver education programs in Ohio, designed to update drivers over the age of 60 on new laws and best practices for safe driving. Those who successfully complete a licensed course will receive a certificate to present to their insurance provider for a discount on their auto insurance policy. A list of providers can be found at DriverTraining.Ohio.gov.

Be Proactive: As with other life changes, planning ahead can make the decision to “retire from driving” easier. Ohio has a variety of state and local program resources that can help older drivers adopt strategies to stay safe on the road, as well as find alternatives to driving if they can no longer do so safely. These resources can be found on the website, transportation.ohio.gov/olderdrivers. Several new resources were added to the website this year, including a guide designed for family members who may be concerned about their loved one’s ability to drive safely. ODOT’s Older Road User Emphasis Area Team recently developed a new tool for law enforcement to identify drivers with cognitive impairments. After ruling out alcohol or drugs, an officer can use the DOSCI tool (Driver Orientation Screen for Cognitive Impairment) to ask the driver nine questions related to person, place and time. The driver’s score is used to determine if the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) should be notified for a possible re-examination and/or medical follow up.

Plan:  In addition, ODA has tips and resources for older Ohioans and their families. They help older drivers maintain their driving abilities and independence and understand the factors that affect their ability to stay behind the wheel safely. They also provide advice for discussing the topic with family members and finding transportation resources. Visit aging.ohio.gov/olderdrivers. To help improve safety, state partners offer the following tips for older drives and their families: Stay aware of your changing physical, vision, and hearing abilities and adjust your driving habits accordingly. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if any medical conditions you have or medications you take could make it unsafe to drive. Do most of your driving during daylight and in good weather. Avoid busy roadways and rush hours whenever possible. Plan your route before you drive and choose routes with well-lit streets, intersections with left turn signals, and easy parking. Avoid distractions while driving, including talking or texting on a cell phone, eating, or listening to a loud radio. Leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front of you so you can react if the other driver stops or slows suddenly. Always wear a seat belt to keep you safe and secure in your vehicle; the seat belt slows you down and spreads crash forces over the strongest parts of your body.

Motorcycle Ohio Announces Funding to Conduct Motorcycle Rider Training

Ohio’s state-funded motorcycle rider education program is pleased to announce grant funding opportunities for 2026 are available to government agencies and not-for-profit organizations. Agencies that wish to offer certified motorcycle rider training to the public must apply by December 31, 2024. The complete grant guidelines can be found on the “Become A Provider” page on Motorcycle Ohio website at www.Motorcycle.Ohio.gov.

Four curricula are available for applicants to offer in their community:

• Basic Riding Skills (BRS) for beginners
• Basic Riding Skills-RR (BRS-RR) for the returning rider
• Basic Riding Skills – 2 (BRS-2) for experienced riders and their co-riders
• Advanced Riding Skills (ARS)

As a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Ohio Traffic Safety Office, Motorcycle Ohio’s mission is to provide affordable, effective training courses and to reduce fatalities and injuries on Ohio’s roadways through rider education, public information campaigns and licensing improvement. Motorcycle Ohio has provided riders the opportunity to improve their skills and make the roadways safer for all motorists since September 1988.

For further information, please contact the Motorcycle Ohio office at 1-800-837-4337 or by email at mogen@dps.ohio.gov.

Law Enforcement Survey on Distracted Driving Law Ohio State University researchers have been engaged by Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Department of Public Safety, and Ohio State Highway Patrol to conduct a survey of law enforcement officers about Ohio's state law prohibiting cellphone use while driving. The results will be used to identify strategies to better assist agencies in enforcing the law. It should take around 10 minutes to complete. This survey is open until December 15, 2024!

REMINDER: Annual I-8000 Proficiency Testing There are currently over 2,600 Ohio I-8000 operators who have not successfully completed and/or uploaded a proficiency or subject test for calendar year 2024.  To maintain proficiency, each operator must successfully complete and upload a proficiency test or a subject test each calendar year. An I-8000 operator who does not complete and upload a proficiency or subject test before December 31 2024, will have their card deactivated. Click HERE to find out how to check your current proficiency date. If you have questions, please contact the Ohio Dept. of Health Alcohol and Drug Testing Program at BADT@odh.ohio.gov or (614) 644-4609.

Older Driver Safety Awareness Week Older drivers face unique safety concerns. We have material that will help guide the discussion with older drivers, and children and caregivers of aging adults. Use Older Driver Safety Awareness Week as an opportunity to increase messaging across all platforms. Many assets are available in English and Spanish. Get Materials Now 🡪 Key Message & Dates Older Driver Safety Awareness Week | December 2-6, 2024

Winter Holidays Impaired Driving Prevention Material

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High Get a DUI. are national high-visibility campaigns that focus on the consequences of drunk driving and are supported by increased law enforcement. Many assets are available in English and Spanish. 

Get Material Now

🡲 Key Messages:

• Drunk Driving: National Mobilization | Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
• Drug-Impaired Driving: National Mobilization | If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI.

🡲 Key Dates:

• December 11, 2014 - January 1, 2025

On behalf of the NHTSA team, thanks for your proactive support in saving lives on our highways.

This course designed to provide prosecutors and law enforcement officers with the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully investigate and prosecute drug impaired driving cases. The course is designed to encourage a team building approach between prosecutors and officers to aid in the detection, apprehension, and prosecution of drug impaired drivers.

WHEN: December 19, 2024 (9:00 am- 4:00 pm)

WHERE: Stark County Sheriff's Office Training Bureau, 143 1st St., SE, Massillon, Ohio 44646

WHO: Municipal and County Prosecutors and Law Enforcement

HOW: This course is being hosted by the Ohio Traffic Safety Office/ Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor/ Ohio Drug Evaluation and Classification program.  Funding is provided in part or solely by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

REGISTRATION: Email hreesetsrp@gmail.com
PLEASE DO NOT DELAY…. WE ANTICIPATE A GOOD RESPONSE.  SPACE IS LIMITED TO 30. 

CLICK HERE for the course agenda and more details.

New OVI BAC Test Instruments: Updates and Demonstration

This CLE course is designed for prosecutors who handle impaired driving cases. The course will address updates to Ohio Administrative Code 3701-53 and the new breath alcohol test instruments added to OAC 3701-53-03 in January 2023. It will also address common misunderstandings concerning breath alcohol testing and common challenges to breath test results. The addition of oral fluid as a laboratory sample to detect drugs in suspected impaired drivers will also be discussed.

WHEN: December 13, 2024, 1:00 pm- 4:00 pm

WHERE: City of Norton Fire Department Dispatch Center, 3380 Greenwich Rd., Norton OH 44203 (this training will be offered regionally over the beginning of 2025)

WHO: Free for prosecutors - 3.0 general CLE hours approved by the Ohio Supreme Court

CLICK HERE for the course agenda and link to register.

WEBINAR SERIES

*The following webinar is approved by the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education credit hours for prosecutors* You must virtually attend the live webinar for CLE credit. Please email your bar number to Holly Reese (hreesetsrp@gmail.com) at the conclusion of the webinar to have it submitted to the Supreme Court.

DECEMBER 2024 TRAFFIC TUESDAY WEBINAR

Title: Improving Consistency in Forensic Alcohol Calculations in DUI Cases (Ohio Bar Approval for 1.5-hr CLE Credit)

Date: Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Time: 2:00p-3:30p Eastern

Presenter: Jennifer F. Limoges, Associate Director/Toxicology - New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center

Description: Performing calculations related to ethanol is a common practice for forensic toxicologists in DUI cases, however, there can be significant variability in how this work is conducted.  ANSI/ASB BPR 122 Best Practice Recommendations for Performing Alcohol Calculations in Forensic Toxicology was developed to improve the quality and consistency of this service.  This session will review the basics how of alcohol is handled by the body, and how those principles relate to performing alcohol calculations.

Click here for more information and to register online.

Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) provides officers with general knowledge related to drug impaired driving and to promote the use of Drug Recognition Experts (DRE). Officers attending this course will receive an update/refresher of Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFSTs) and must successfully pass an SFST proficiency evaluation. This training also promotes interaction with representatives from the state's prosecution community who are encouraged to attend. The instructors for this course are all Ohio DRE certified instructors.

• Prerequisite: Law enforcement officers must have had training in SFST (previously ADAP). This course is funded through an OTSO/NHTSA grant and is free for sworn Ohio law enforcement officers and prosecutors only. Tuition for out-of-state officers is $250.
• 2025 ARIDE Training Dates:
  • Jan. 23 & 24 - Tiffin Police Dept.
  • Feb. 17 & 18 - Delaware Co. Sheriff's Office
  • Mar. 13 & 14 - OPOTA London Main Academy
  • Apr. 21 & 22 - Clark State College, Springfield
  • May 19 & 20 - Hocking College, Nelsonville

New courses are added regularly so please check back frequently for the latest listing of available courses. To register for a course, please visit the Ohio Attorney General In-Person Course Catalog and sign in to the OPOTA Portal.

Drug Recognition Expert Program The Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Program is a traffic safety program that focuses on the detection, apprehension and adjudication of drug-impaired drivers. A DRE is a law enforcement officer highly trained to recognize impairment in drivers under the influence of drugs other than, or in addition to alcohol.  For more information and how to apply for this free training, please view the DRE Application, School Information and Requirements by clicking here.  2025 DRE School Training Dates: Jan. 27 - Feb. 6 at OSHP Academy Feb. 17 - 23 Field Certifications out of state Oct. 20 - 30 at OSHP Academy Nov. 5 - 11 Field Certifications out of state

Ohio Investigative Unit Offers Additional Support for Alcohol-Related Incidents

December is National Drunk & Drug Impaired Driving Prevention Month

The Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) enforces Ohio’s alcohol, tobacco, and food stamp fraud laws. Formerly a component of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, OIU is now once again a standalone division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety (DPS). While the structure of OIU is changing, it will remain a key partner with the Highway Patrol and various other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in a united effort to make Ohio communities safer.

In November, Jamie Patton was sworn in as the Executive Director of OIU. Patton previously served as the elected Sherriff of Union County since 2011. OIU Senior Enforcement Commander Erik Lockhart has assumed the role of Assistant Director of the division. 

Jamie Patton is sworn in as Executive Director of the Ohio Investigative Unit by DPS Director Andy Wilson.

In FY24, OIU generated 3,452 cases:

• 2,441 total arrests for 4,504 offenses
• 1,230 liquor control law arrests
• 449 felony arrests
• 186 drug arrests
• Issued 863 administrative citations to liquor permit holders for various liquor rule violations

Alcohol Server Knowledge Program (ASK)

The Alcohol Server Knowledge (ASK) program is an educational program developed for people involved in the sale and handling of alcohol on the rules and regulations that govern liquor permits in Ohio, with emphasis on knowledge, responsibilities and risks involved. This includes some of the most frequently asked questions regarding Ohio’s laws, rules and enforcement initiatives. ASK is completed online and upon passing the free training the user receives a certificate of completion.

Since becoming available online in December 2021, 6,431 participants completed the online training.

The online class can be found by logging onto https://learning.dps.ohio.gov/ask.

OTSO offers materials for numerous traffic safety campaigns, including impaired driving, restraint usage, distracted driving, speeding and motorcycles. Utilizing these free materials can make an impact that can reach beyond your community.  CLICK HERE to order online! Outdated forms sent via fax or e-mail will still be accepted, but this online link will be updated when new materials are added to our inventory. More items coming soon!

Crash Data Bulletins: 88 county-specific data bulletins have now been updated for fall 2024 and are available online. OTSO partners with the Ohio State Highway Patrol to update and publish the bulletins every 6 months. They were designed to be used in driving schools so instructors can adapt behind-the-wheel training to their local area. But they are also available publicly to help educate all drivers on local-level driving trends, dangerous roads and intersections, and seat belt usage.

Mission Statement: As a division within the Ohio Department of Public Safety, the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) is dedicated to saving lives and preventing injuries on Ohio’s roads by using creative leadership, innovative education and comprehensive enforcement programs. OTSO strives to work in partnership with local, state and federal entities to advance equity in highway safety programs, ensuring they benefit all road users in Ohio.

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