Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

July 21, 2025

Year-to-Date Confirmed Fatalities, Current vs 2024 Fatalities

FATAL CRASHES 2025 MAP can be found here.

OSTATS CRASH DASHBOARD can be found here.

Ohio Expands Driver's Education Requirement to New Drivers Under 21

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed the state's $60 billion biennial budget, which includes a change to state law requiring more Ohioans to receive the training they need to be safer drivers. The budget goes into effect 90 days from when it was signed, which means beginning September 30, 2025, new drivers aged 18, 19, and 20 will have to complete a full driver education course: 24 hours of classroom education 8 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction 50 hours of practice with an eligible adult

This change is a data-driven approach to make Ohio's roads safer for all. Crash data compiled by the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) shows that:

• In 2024, 58% of fatal crashes in Ohio caused by teen drivers involved 18 or 19-year-olds.
• Last year, 97 fatal crashes involved a teen, about 70% of which were the fault of a teen driver.
• Of those drivers, 49% had their driver's license for a year or less and 34% did not receive driver's ed at all.
• A study of Ohio drivers by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia showed that 18–19-year-olds were more likely to be in a serious injury or fatal crash during their 1st months of licensure compared to those licensed for the first time at 16-17, when driver education has been required. OTSO believes there will be similar safety benefits for 18–20-year-olds.

This change is expected to impact about 36,000 people in Ohio each year. Driving schools will be ramping up to meet this increasing demand. Those who are interested in becoming driving instructors can find more information and look for job postings with private driver training schools at https://otso.ohio.gov/programs/ohio-driver-training/for-instructors/instructor-opportunities. 

Adults in Ohio will soon need more driving training to get a license

Ohio will require full driver's education course for people under 21

One-on-one interview with Gov. Mike DeWine: How a new law is prioritizing driver safety training | 10tv.com

In addition to this significant change, there are two other driver education amendments in the budget which will also take effect on September 30, 2025:

• Excused Absences for Driver Education: High school students will now be permitted excused absences from school for the sole purpose of attending a driver education course, up to a maximum of 8 hours (no more than two hours per day for up to four nonconsecutive days).
• New Driver Education Course Regulations: New rules will allow beginning drivers of noncommercial motor vehicles to complete the driver education course at any point while holding a valid temporary instruction permit.

U.S. Pedestrian Deaths Fall for Second Straight Year

Drivers struck and killed 7,148 people in the United States last year, enough to fill 31 Boeing 737s, according to a new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). Pedestrian deaths were down 4.3% in 2024, the second consecutive annual decline after surging throughout the prior decade. Pedestrian fatalities remain nearly 20% above the 2016 level and reached a 40-year high in 2022.

GHSA’s new data analysis, Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2024 Preliminary Data, provides a first look at pedestrian safety trends and changes in fatalities at the state level, building upon a report GHSA issued earlier this year that focused on fatalities for January-June. The new report also includes an in-depth analysis of 2023 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that reaffirms troubling trends regarding deaths of people on foot happening in hit-and-runs, at night, in crashes with SUVs and pickups, and where there are no sidewalks.

Ohio Pedestrian Fatalities at a glance: Pedestrian deaths have declined in Ohio each year for the past 3 years in a row. Preliminary numbers show 128 pedestrians were killed in 2024 - a 15% decrease from 2023. Last year's pedestrian fatality rate was 1.08 - well below the national rate of 2.10.

The report highlights how State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) and their partners are leveraging enforcement, data, technology, education, infrastructure and other proven solutions to improve pedestrian safety and save lives.

• GHSA will hold a webinar on July 31, at 2 p.m. EDT, to share an overview of the data and highlight unique approaches states are taking to pedestrian safety.
• This August, traffic safety, law enforcement, technology, government, nonprofit, and business leaders will come together in Pittsburgh for the GHSA 2025 Annual Meeting. The safety of people walking, rolling and riding will be woven throughout the conference in numerous workshops and general sessions, including several focused on data and the future of traffic safety.

OTSO has developed a safety handout aimed at drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The front side of the card shares tips for drivers to help keep vulnerable road users safe while sharing the road. The back addresses some tips to help bicyclists, e-scooter riders, and pedestrians avoid injuries on the roadways. This new educational tool was one of the action items of the Ohio Traffic Safety Council’s Pedestrian Working Group. The Working Group was established in 2023 to address the rising pedestrian fatalities in Ohio in the recent years. The Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety card can be downloaded onto a phone Printed copies can be requested from the Ohio Traffic Safety Office. (Item number OTS0115)

Update: Registration Open for Ford Driving Skills for Life Event in Cleveland

Teen drivers and their parents can now register online to participate in the FREE Ford Driving Skills for Life event on August 9-10 at the IX Center.  With hands-on coaching from professional instructors, teens will get behind the wheel of a Ford Mustang and learn crash prevention techniques, skid control & vehicle handling, and experience the dangers of simulated distraction & impaired driving. Share THIS LINK to register Download and print THIS FLYER to spread the word in your community! Ford Driving Skills for Life will be back in Ohio on September 13-14 with a similar event in Butler County. Registration for this event is expected to open soon! OTSO is seeking community partners who are interested in tabling at these events. If your agency or organization is interested in attending Ford Driving Skills for Life to reach teen drivers and their parents, please e-mail OTSO PIO Judy Converse at jlconverse@dps.ohio.gov .

Spots Still Available for "Shifting Gears" Trainings This Summer

The Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) is partnering with AAA Northeast and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) to implement a program to educate high school students about the risks of underage cannabis/marijuana use while driving. “Shifting Gears: The Blunt Truth About Marijuana & Driving” uses science-based information to explain the physical and cognitive processes that are affected by cannabis and how those effects can impact the ability to drive safely.

Agencies and organizations that are interested in presenting “Shifting Gears” to classes of high school students must first complete a mandatory training session:

• August 8 - North Canton

CLICK HERE to register for one of these free training sessions

OTSO will reimburse public agencies and applicable non-profits $200 per class/presentation. Current Federal grant recipients must first contact their OTSO planner to confirm reimbursement eligibility and requirements through their federal grant.

More details on reimbursement can be found here: Shifting Gears Reimbursement Form | Ohio Traffic Safety Office

Speeding Catches Up With You

• July 7–31, 2025: National paid media buy

Speeding Catches Up With You is a year-round social norming campaign that focuses on speed prevention. NHTSA provides resources to encourage drivers to drive at the speed limit and to educate people about the dangers of going too fast, including information related to speed and road conditions. Many assets are available in English and Spanish.

Talking Points, Sample News Release, & Social Media Playbook available now!

Get NHTSA Materials here

Speeding Slows You Down

• July 7–31, 2025: Certain areas may consider running this enforcement campaign if high-visibility enforcement is planned.

Speeding Slows You Down is a high-visibility enforcement mobilization campaign that focuses specifically on the consequences of speeding while urging drivers to slow down. Materials created for this campaign highlights law enforcement’s goal of stopping speeding and helps spread awareness about the increased law enforcement presence on the nation’s roads during this period.

Talking Points, Sample News Release, & Social Media Playbook available now!

Get NHTSA Mobilization materials here

August/Labor Day Impaired Driving Prevention

• Enforcement: August 15 - September 1
• National Paid Media Buy: August 15 - September 1
• Earned Media: July 14 - September 8

Relevant and seasonal messaging can help boost traffic safety communication efforts. Use this themed material to encourage people to not get behind the wheel while impaired by alcohol or drugs. Many assets are available in English and Spanish. Key messages:

• Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
• Drive High, Get a DUI
• Ride Sober or Get Pulled Over

Get NHTSA Materials Now

Heatstroke Prevention

• May 1, 2025 - Sep. 30, 2025

Heatstroke is one of the leading causes of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children. Sadly, 1,010 children have died from heatstroke in a hot car since 1998.

Nearly every state in the United States has been affected by a pediatric vehicular heatstroke death. NHTSA offers campaign material to help educate parents and caregivers about the dangers of hot cars, including children getting trapped in an unlocked vehicle, being forgotten or mistakenly left, or purposely left.  Material also includes safety information for bystanders to safely remove a child from a hot car.

This tragedy is 100% preventable. Help us spread the word.

Click here for campaign materials.

Order flyers from OTSO to help support NHTSA's vehicular heatstroke prevention campaign. OTS1020 Accidental Heatstroke Flyer: Use this new flyer to help raise awareness to parents and caregivers in your community. This one-sided full-page flyer includes prevention tips and an optional cutout for a hang tag reminder from a vehicle's rear-view mirror. Available now on OTSO's Online Materials Order Form

New NHTSA Resource NHTSA released Keeping an Eye on Blind Spots, a one-pager with helpful advice for correctly using outside mirrors to minimize blind spots. This flyer is included on NHTSA’s resource pages for pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle safety.

Cannabis Impairment Training Available for Law Enforcement

Attitudes about using marijuana have shifted in Ohio in recent years. Now that adult use non-medical marijuana is allowed under state law, there are more opportunities than ever for Ohioans to access and use cannabis. Today's forms (including edibles, flower, and concentrates) have a much higher level of THC than in the past, and law enforcement can benefit greatly from advanced training to help recognize its presence in drivers.

Advanced Cannabis Impairment Training (ACIT) is an 8-hour course that is designed to train law enforcement officers to observe, identify, and articulate the indicators of impairment related to cannabis. With the goal to reduce impaired driving incidents and crashes, participants will engage in classroom and practical instruction by Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Instructors. Participants must be a commissioned law enforcement officer or have attended ARIDE. Trainings will be held on the following dates: September 4 (FULL) Check back for more training dates coming soon All trainings are held at the Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy in Columbus. Advance Registration is required.

AUGUST 2025 TRAFFIC TUESDAY WEBINAR

Title: Drug Recognition Expert Testimony: Linking Investigation Clues & Cues to Driving Impairment (pending Ohio Bar Approval for 1.5-hr CLE Credit)

Date: Tuesday, August 19, 2025

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

Presenters: Devin Chase, DRE Investigator, Orange County District Attorney's Office & Jessica Le, Orange County (CA) Deputy District Attorney, California TSRP

Description: During a driving under the influence (DUI) case, jury instruction typically includes: the driver was under the influence of alcohol or a drug to the extent that their normal faculties were impaired. The phrase “under the influence” means that as a result of taking a substance into the body, a person’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle has been diminished. During the jury trial it is critical to testify not just to the facts of the case and the results of the standardized field sobriety tests, but to also articulate how those results show that a person’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle has been diminished. This session will instruct officers, prosecutors, and toxicologists in the various techniques that have been successfully used during trials to prove this key component of any DUI case.

CLICK HERE for more information and the registration link.

SEPTEMBER 2025 TRAFFIC TUESDAY WEBINAR

Title: Grabbing at Smoke: Proving Cannabis-Impaired Driving (pending Ohio Bar Approval for 1.5-hr CLE Credit)

Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2025

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

Presenter: Sarah Garner, North Carolina Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor

Description: Cannabis cases are among the most difficult to try in court. Judges are familiar with horizontal gaze nystagmus tests and blood alcohol content measurements; however, it is difficult to convey the same information regarding cannabis-impaired driving cases. This presentation will offer strategies on how to boost an investigation and prosecution to succeed in court with a cannabis impaired driving case. This presentation deals with the science behind drug-impairment of the human body and more specifically the effects of that impairment on a person’s ability to drive.

CLICK HERE for more information and the registration link.

IACP Impaired Driving and Traffic Safety (IDTS) Conference

• International Association of Chiefs of Police
• Chicago, IL
• August 4-6, 2025
• Share knowledge about effective and proven approaches for improving road safety & the latest science on impaired driving enforcement.
• IACP Impaired Driving and Traffic Safety (IDTS) Conference

NOBLE 49th Annual Training Conference

• National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
• Hollywood, FL
• August 8-12, 2025
• International gathering of over 2,000 law enforcement professionals, with training tracks addressing a range of topics including officer safety and wellness, community engagement, and retirement and beyond.
• 49th Annual Training Conference | National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives™

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: Oct. 20 - 30 at OSHP Academy Nov. 5 - 11 Field Certifications out of state

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 Courses Sponsored by the DRE Program:

To register, please e-mail the corresponding e-mail address for the course.

Rural Road Safety Awareness Week: July 14-18

Rural Road Safety Awareness Week (RRSAW) is July 14-18 and it’s all about clutching post-crash care for a big-league safety win.

Post-crash care improves the chances of surviving a crash by expediting access to medical care. It also prioritizes site safety and secondary crash prevention. The 2025 RRSAW awareness campaign’s overall theme is, “Post Crash Care: Big League Safety.”

A crash victim’s chance of surviving a crash decreases 3% for every minute medical care is delayed.

In 2022, 42,514 people died in traffic crashes, with 42 percent of those crash victims being alive when first responders arrived at the scene. Recognizing that medical care can prevent injuries from becoming fatal, a post-crash care lens identifies a clear opportunity to preserve life at the scene of a crash by applying medical care and related services.

“Post-crash care is the homerun—the final safety net—in the Safe System Approach,” said Jaime Sullivan, director of the National Center for Rural Road Safety (the Center). “It is especially critical in rural and Tribal communities, where jurisdictions are larger and first responder response times are longer, and emergency medical services (EMS) resources are usually limited.”

“We’re excited to invite everyone to learn about post-crash care and how they can play a role in saving lives,” she added.

This year’s campaign takes on a baseball theme to encourage everyone to join the big-league safety team. Here are the daily themes:

• Monday: Hit a Grand Slam: Post-Crash Care on Rural Roads
• Tuesday: Assemble Your Dream Team: The Post-Crash Lineup
• Wednesday: Be a Pinch Hitter: Stop the Bleed, Save Lives
• Thursday: Change the Game: Extra Innings with Whole Blood
• Friday:  Come in Clutch: Relief Pitching for First Responders

Campaign assets will include social media graphics, baseball cards, infographics, and other resources.  For more information about Rural Road Safety Awareness Week, visit the National Center for Rural Road Safety’s RRSAW campaign page.  Follow the National Center for Rural Road Safety on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The campaign will use the hashtag #RRSAW2025. Assets will be available in July online at ruralsafetycenter.org. As always, feel free to contact us with your questions, comments, or notices of participation at info@ruralsafetycenter.org.

OTS0018 - Buckle Up - Hold Your Horses Rural Driver Poster The Ohio Traffic Safety Office partnered with the Ohio Department of Agriculture for a "hold your horses" seat belt reminder aimed at rural drivers. Seat belt compliance is lowest on local roads and among truck drivers in Ohio. This message was inspired by Ohio's horse owners who always secure their horses in a trailer before getting on the road. This poster is available to order on OTSO's Online Materials Order Form ahead of Rural Road Safety Awareness Week.

Fast Facts Help inform your community about local-level driving trends, dangerous roads and intersections, and seat belt usage statistics. This educational tool is available publicly for driving instructors, Safe Communities, employers, and law enforcement to use for presentations and to display at events. Parents of teen drivers may also find them useful for the required 50 hours of in-car practice. "Fast Facts" are updated every 6 months with the latest crash data, timely safety talking points, stories of real crashes. The handouts for all 88 counties in Ohio are available HERE.

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!

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.

Follow, Like & Share the Ohio Traffic Safety Office on social media