OSHP, ODOT partner to launch distracted driving safety corridor in Seneca County

The Ohio State Highway Patrol, in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Transportation, has introduced a new safety corridor on State Route 4 in Seneca County to tackle the issue of distracted driving.

The section of the route between the Huron and Crawford County lines will be designated as a “distracted driving safety corridor” and will have increased police presence and new signage to discourage distracted driving. This initiative will be in place until October.

According to statistics from 2018 through 2022, 207 people lost their lives, and 31,193 were injured in 60,423 distracted driving-related crashes in Ohio. It is believed that these numbers may even be higher as drivers are often reluctant to admit to distracted driving. The safety corridor aims to raise awareness and educate drivers about the dangers of distracted driving.

Distracted driving involves any non-driving activity that could potentially distract the driver from their primary task of driving, increasing the risk of accidents. Distractions can be visual, manual, or cognitive. Texting while driving is an example of a distraction that results in all three types of distraction.

To reduce such risks, the distracted driving safety corridor signage will be erected in the corridor to remind motorists to avoid distractions while behind the wheel. The Ohio State Highway Patrol can pull over drivers violating the new distracted driving law, which prohibits manually inputting text, dialing a phone number, or physically supporting a device with any part of the body while driving. However, emergency calls are exempt from the law.

Officers will be able to issue citations from early October, but until then, they will warn and educate drivers on the dangers of distracted driving. The public is encouraged to call #677 to report dangerous or impaired drivers or drug activity. Additional resources for motorists regarding the new law can be found at PhonesDown.Ohio.gov.