Wood County Safe Communities announced today that there have been 5 fatal crashes this year to date, a decrease of 5 from this time last year.

Wood County Safe Communities also received data involving commercial vehicle crashes from 2015 in Wood County. Last year, commercial vehicles were involved in 20% of fatal crashes, and 15% of serious injury crashes. Commercial vehicles have been involved in 1 fatal crash this year to date. This is a decrease from last year to date where 7 commercial vehicles were involved in fatal crashes.

It is important to remember to share the road with other drivers. Wood County Safe Communities encourages everyone, including commercial vehicle drivers, to remember the laws, and pay attention while driving. Awareness of commercial vehicles, allowing extra space between drivers, and practicing safe driving habits can save a life!

For More Information:

• Jerrod Savidge, Ohio State Highway Patrol: 419-352-2481
• Sandy Wiechman, Safe Communities Coordinator:
  419-372-9353 or swiechm@bgsu.edu

Wood County Safe Communities announced today there have been four fatal crashes in Wood County compared to nine last year at this time.  This is a decrease of five crashes to date.

Safe Communities is also releasing other final statistics from 2015 fatal and serious injury car crashes.

Older driver (recognized as people over the age of 65) involvement in crashes was the top cause of fatalities last year in the category of high risk driving behaviors. Older drivers were involved in 37% of fatalities related to driving and 28% of all serious injury vehicular crashes.

In Wood County in 2015, intersection crashes accounted for 28% of fatalities and were the top contributor of serious injuries. Fixed object crashes were the cause of 26% of serious injury accidents and 30% of all fatalities.

Drivers of all ages are reminded to be aware of these alarming statistics and encouraged to do their part to reduce crashes throughout the remainder of 2016 by buckling up and obeying all traffic laws.

For More Information:

• Lt. Jerrod Savidge, Ohio State Highway Patrol: 419-352-2481
• Sandy Wiechman, Safe Communities Coordinator:
  419-372-9353 or swiechm@bgsu.edu

Wood County Safe Communities Coalition invites you to their fourth annual Click it or Ticket Campaign kickoff. This event is planned at the Perrysburg Wal-Mart at 10400 Fremont Pike on Friday, May 20, 2016 from 4:30-7:00  PM and is sponsored by the Perrysburg Wal-Mart, and Perrysburg Chick-Fil-A.

The Click it or Ticket campaign educates individuals on the importance of wearing a seatbelt while operating a motor vehicle. Law-enforcement agencies are on hand to reward drivers and passengers for being buckled up and numerous displays and safety demonstrations are scheduled.

“Every day, unbuckled motorists are losing their lives in motor vehicle crashes. In Wood County alone, 45% of unbelted vehicle occupants died in 2015. That is up 5% from 2014” said Sandy Wiechman, coordinator of Safe Communities of Wood County. “As we approach Memorial Day weekend and the summer vacation season, we want to make sure people are doing the one thing that can save them in a crash, buckling up.”

According to the Ohio Department of Public Safety, 1,110 fatal crashes occurred in 2015 in Ohio with 46% of occupants unbuckled. The main focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is seat-belt education and awareness.

“If you ask the family members of those unrestrained people who were killed in crashes, they’ll tell you—they wish their loved ones had buckled up,” added Wiechman. “The bottom line is that seat belts save lives. If these enforcement and education crackdowns get people’s attention and get them to buckle up, then we’ve done our job.”

For More Information:
Lt. Jerrod Savidge, Ohio State Highway Patrol
419-352-2481

Sandy Wiechman, Safe Communities Coordinator
419-372-9353 or swiechm@bgsu.edu