Ohio Department of Public Safety
1970 W. Broad Street • Columbus, Ohio 43223

Ohio Department of Transportation
1980 W. Broad Street • Columbus, Ohio 43223

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OhioSafe Commute reports no major crashes
in special enforcement corridors

COLUMBUS – The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and law enforcement partners are reporting that during six weeks of OhioSafe Commute in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati there were no major injury or fatal crashes in any of the high-crash corridors while OhioSafe Commute was in operation.

OhioSafe Commute places law enforcement officers along the busiest, high-crash highways during peak travel hours. Officers patrol these corridors to enforce the speed limit and look for aggressive drivers. In addition, when crashes occur, officers will respond quickly to clear the crash scene. Drivers involved in minor crashes will be directed off the highway to complete crash reports.

“The goal of OhioSafe Commute is to reduce the number of injuries and deaths on our highways,” said ODOT Director Gordon Proctor. “Stepping up enforcement efforts will help to slow down aggressive drivers, prevent crashes, and save lives.”

OhioSafe Commute began in 2003 as a $500,000 pilot program funded by ODOT in central Ohio. During the six-month program, targeted corridors experienced a reduction in crashes between 10 and 20 percent. Based on the initial success of the program, ODOT invested an additional $300,000 to expand the program’s reach to Cincinnati and Cleveland. If the program continues to be successful, it may be expanded to other areas of the state next year.

“The success of Ohio Safe Commute in Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus shows the effectiveness and importance of collaborations to improve highway safety,” said Kenneth Morckel, Director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety. “Public Safety is proud to be teaming up with ODOT and our law enforcement partners throughout Ohio in this effort to save lives and reduce injuries during the rush hour commute.”

The expanded version of OhioSafe Commute began Oct. 12 and targets the following high-crash, congested locations:

• Interstate 71 in Cincinnati from north of SR 562 to south of I-275 (636 crashes in 2003)
• Interstate 480 in Cleveland from SR 237 to SR 94 (373 crashes in 2003)
• Interstate 70 in Columbus from 18th Avenue to Brice Road (626 crashes in 2003)
• Interstate 270 in Columbus from State Route 161 to US 23 (374 crashes in 2003)
• Interstate 270 in Columbus from Morse Road to I-670 (158 crashes in 2003)
• State Route 315 in Columbus from Lane Avenue to Olentangy River Road (321 crashes in 2003)

The most common cause of crashes was excessive speed and failure to control. A recent speed study concluded that 26 percent of motorists in these corridors were traveling at speeds of 75 mph or greater. Each year, there are approximately 380,000 crashes that kill 1,500 people and injure 198,000 people in Ohio.

“OhioSafe Commute has demonstrated how the Patrol, our law enforcement partners, and the Ohio Department of Transportation can team up to leverage our resources and to ultimately reach our goal to reduce injuries and fatalities on Ohio’s roadways,” Colonel Paul McClellan, Patrol superintendent, said.

The Cleveland and Cincinnati phase of OhioSafe Commute is scheduled to end on Dec. 12, 2004.

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