Gwen Rummell Reporting –
Motorists are encouraged to drive safe during the Memorial Day holiday travel period.
AAA is projecting that 43.8 million travelers will head 50 miles or more. Weekend drivers should expect similar gas prices as last year when the average was around $3.57.
During the unofficial start of summer, many teenage drivers will also be on the roadways. The Ohio Traffic Safety Office has released numerous educational videos for teen drivers, one including the reason behind most crashes.
“Drunk or drugged driving is the cause of thousands of crashes each year. That’s because impaired driving affects a person’s judgement, coordination, reaction time, depth-perception, emotions, [and] basically everything that makes them a good driver in the first place.”
Last year, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers made almost 20,000 traffic enforcement contacts, which included impaired driving arrests, drug arrests, and safety belt citations. In addition, the Patrol made over 10,000 non-enforcement contacts including over 2,000 motorist assists.
The worst times to drive from Thursday, May 23rd to Memorial Day are during the afternoon hours. The best travel times are in the morning or later in the evening. For Sunday, May 26th, extremely heavy traffic should be expected all day.
To report reckless, impaired, or distracted drivers, dial #677.
Copyright WTUZ Radio Inc., 2024