7 fatal traffic crashes through first half of year

There were seven fatal traffic crashes in Lake County through June 28, two fewer than over the same period last year.

Six of this year’s fatal crashes occurred between April and June.

According to the Lake County General Health District the cause of the crashes were:

• Operating in negligent manner (2) • Improper crossing • Failure to stop at a stop sign • Failure to yield • Improper lane change • Lying illegally in roadway

The Ohio Highway Patrol stated that four of this year’s crashes have been OVI related. During the same period last year, five were OVI related. There were also four year-to-date OVI-related crashes in 2014. There were 11 total fatal traffic crashes over that period in 2014.

Five of this year’s seven fatal crashes have been in urban areas, according to OHP. Two crashes involved motorcycles and one was commercial related. Last year through June 28, five of the nine crashes were in urban areas. Like this year, two were also motorcycle related.

To date, there have been 571 fatal crashes statewide this year according to OHP. That’s 12 less than the same period last year. There are four provisional fatal crashes awaiting confirmation that do not yet count toward the 2018 figure.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 10,497 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2016. On average, 10,000 people were killed each year from 2012 to 2016—one person killed every 50 minutes in 2016.

“That’s the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing each year, with no survivors,” the Lake County General Health District stated.

The Lake County Safe Community’s Coalition and the NHTSA recommend the following alternatives to drinking and driving:

• Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you have had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation to get home safely.

• Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app available on Google Play for Android devices and Apple’s iTunes Store for IOS devices. SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend, and identifies the user’s location so he or she can be picked up.

• If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact your local police department

• Do you have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

OHIO HIGHWAY PATROL Fatal traffic crashes in Lake County, Jan. 1 through June 28 of 2016, 2017 and 2018.