COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio roadways saw their safest Memorial Day weekend in nearly two decades, with the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) reporting the lowest number of traffic fatalities in 18 years.
According to provisional data released by the state patrol, six people lost their lives in traffic crashes during the four-day holiday reporting period, which ran from Friday, May 22 through Monday, May 25. The data marks a sharp decline from previous years, down from 14 fatalities in 2025 and 26 in both 2023 and 2024. One fatality was recorded in each of the following counties: Clermont, Cuyahoga, Tuscarawas, Union, Warren, and Wood.
State officials attribute the historically low numbers to an intense, multi-agency crackdown on dangerous driving. The holiday weekend kicked off just one week after OSHP executed its first-ever statewide impaired driving enforcement campaign. That massive operation—conducted alongside the Ohio Department of Transportation and more than 100 local law enforcement agencies—led to over 18,500 vehicle checks and 158 OVI (Operating a Vehicle Impaired) arrests.
The heavy police presence remained on the roads through the holiday. Over the four-day weekend, troopers made 16,490 total traffic enforcement contacts. Those stops resulted in:
- 355 impaired driving arrests
- 2,090 safety belt citations
- 66 drug-related arrests
Law enforcement did see a massive 44% spike in distracted driving incidents, with citations jumping to 1,455 over the weekend compared to 1,008 during the same period last year.
In addition to the road patrols, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources stepped up its own OVI enforcement across the state’s land and waterways. Troopers also made 9,179 non-enforcement contacts, providing roadside assistance to ,647 stranded motorists.
Throughout the weekend, troopers partnered with advocates from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to educate the public, emphasizing that driving under the influence is entirely preventable by planning ahead with a rideshare service or a designated driver.
OSHP continues to urge motorists to treat roadway safety as a shared responsibility. The public is encouraged to report dangerous driving, erratic behavior, or suspected drug activity on Ohio roads by calling #677.
