In both a year in review and a impact plan for up coming months, Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Jerad Sutton said state troopers caught more impaired drivers in 2012 and will focus on impaired driver arrests in 2013.
“Troopers have had an increased focus on impaired driving enforcement,” Sutton said, “and these efforts are paying off. In 2012, patrol arrests for operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OVI) increased by 3 percent and OVI related crashes decreased by 14 percent.”
Sutton credits the post’s high arrest rate in 2012 to the state patrol’s concentrated efforts — called Trooper Shield — a program to increase the focus on impaired driving enforcement.
“Trooper Shield is an ongoing effort to contribute to a safer Ohio,” Sutton said.
Across the state in 2012, troopers made 24,520 OVI arrests, Sutton said. Last year the effort netted 376 arrests of impaired drivers in Ashtabula County — a increase over years past.
“Of those arrests, nearly one in four — 23 percent — included a speed violation and 17 percent included a violation for driving without a valid driver license,” he said.
Last year, 431 people were killed and 7,299 were injured in 12,168 OVI-related crashes.
“Impaired drivers were responsible for 40 percent of the fatal crashes in 2012,” Sutton said.
As effective as troopers were in OVI arrests last year, Sutton said he knows they can’t do it alone.
“We can’t fight the battle against impaired driving on our own,” he said. “We need the commitment of other drivers to make our roads safe. People can contribute to a safer Ohio by actively influencing friends and family to make safe, responsible decisions, like planning ahead to designate a driver and insisting that everyone in the vehicle is buckled up.”
Drivers can also call the post’s hotline to report a possible impaired driver or drug activity or stranded motorists by dialing #677 to report impaired drivers, drug activity or stranded motorists. The hashtag and number can be dialed just like a telephone number.
Local News
Troopers net record OVI arrests in 2012
- Local News
-
-
Fifth man in Ashtabula murder case pleads guilty to kidnapping
Now it’s five out of six.
-
Walnut Beach restrooms and concessions will be ready in time for summer
They are working on the restrooms at the Walnut Beach concession stand in preparation for the summer season, but the city still is looking for a concessionaire, City Manager Jim Timonere said.
-
Catholic community saddened by loss of the Rev. Charles Poore
The Catholic community is mourning the loss the Rev. Charles Poore, who lost his battle with cancer Thursday.
-
A bit of the farm may come to Ashtabula's Main Avenue
Rich red tomatoes, bright green peppers and farm fresh eggs — this is what the Downtown Ashtabula Farmers’ Market envisions for Main Avenue.
-
Blessing of the Fleet is tonight at Ashtabula Harbor Public Dock
The tradition of blessing area mariners began more than 60 years ago in the Ashtabula Harbor.
-
Conneaut’s school board honors employees, retirees
Several Conneaut teachers and a handful of retirees received accolades at Wednesday night’s Conneaut Board of Education meeting.
-
Saybrook Township firefighters receive federal grant for equipment
Saybrook Township Fire Department was awarded $41,510 in federal funding to purchase new equipment.
-
Pairings inks lease agreement, gets new sponsor
It’s been an eventful week fo the Pairings Wine and Culinary Experience, director Jennifer Brown said, as the wine and food center became the pending leasee of the former Geneva Elementary property and gained another major sponsor.
-
Plymouth Township man dies in backhoe accident
A Garrison Road man, known as an avid outdoorsman, died in a backhoe accident while working in his yard Wednesday night, authorities said.
-
Track/field facility could see start soon in Conneaut
Nearly a generation of Conneaut scholastic track athletes have never known a home meet, thanks to a course that fell short of state requirements. That could change next year.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Fifth man in Ashtabula murder case pleads guilty to kidnapping
