From OHIO STATE HIGHWAY PATROL
Four area law enforcement agencies and Safe Communities of Wood County are partnering for a weeklong effort to promote traffic safety on rural roadways in Wood County.
Oct. 17 through Oct. 23, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Wood County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake Township and Perrysburg Township police departments will be increasing enforcement efforts in rural Wood County in an attempt to reduce the number of fatal and injury crashes.
Troopers, deputies and officers will be focusing on safety belt and speed violations, as well as impaired driving. In addition to enforcement efforts, Safe Communities of Wood County will host educational events to remind drivers to make good choices while behind the wheel.
So far in 2021, there have been 916 rural crashes in Wood County in which 10 crashes were fatal and 214 resulted in injuries.
“Wearing a safety belt is the simplest task you and everyone in your vehicle can do to stay safe,” said Lieutenant Shaun Robinson, Bowling Green Patrol Post commander. “Make it a habit to wear a safety belt every trip, every time. Taking two seconds to click it can make the difference of saving your life in a crash. ”
Wood County has had 1,124 speed-related rural crashes since 2016, with 16 resulting in fatalities and 375 in injuries.
“Law enforcement in Wood County is teaming up to send the message to drivers that we are looking for those who are putting themselves and others at risk by driving above the posted speed limit,” said Lake Township Police Chief Mark Hummer. “Do your part and drive appropriately for the safety of all on the road.”
This year, there have been 57 OVI-related rural crashes in Wood County, with three of those being fatal and 16 resulting in injuries.
“Every time we remove an impaired driver from the road, we prevent the possibility of a family losing a loved one,” said Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn. “We want everyone to make good choices before they get behind the wheel.”
Roadway safety is a shared responsibility. Everyone can contribute to safer roads by ensuring they follow all traffic laws, always wear a safety belt, never drive impaired and obey speed limits.
“Each death that occurs on our roadways is more than a statistic, it is someone’s loved one or friend,” said Perrysburg Township Lieutenant Matth ew Gazarek. “In many cases these tragedies are preventable. If everyone does their part, we can make Perrysburg Township and roadways across Wood County safer.”
So far in 2021, there have been 283 youth-related rural crashes in Wood County, with four of those being fatal and 72 resulting in injuries.
“This has been a tough year for many families in Wood County with the loss of so many youthful drivers,” said Safe Communities of Wood County Coordinator Sandy Wiechman. “In conjunction with National Teen Driver Safety Week, we will be hosting an event on October 20 at Elmwood High School to educate young drivers about safe driving.”
Safety belts, impaired driving and speeding will be the violations receiving the most attention by law enforcement officers during the initiative. To make the biggest impact in lives saved, there will be zero tolerance for these violations.
Be sure to follow @OSHP_NWOhio, @SafeCommWC, @woodctysheriff, @PerrysburgTwpPD on Twitter, and the Lake Township Police Department on Facebook for important messages during the traffic safety partnership.
