Colonel Paul McClellan
Superintendent
Ohio State Highway Patrol

For the past 10 years, the Ohio State Highway Patrol vehicles have virtually remained unchanged. As issues of security and safety arose, the Patrol began to investigate changing the colors of our vehicles to provide greater visibility and promote overall officer safety.

With this concern for officer safety and the celebration of the Patrol’s 70th anniversary during 2003, a color change is being made from our current fleet of charcoal gray to a more visible white Patrol vehicle. This change continues to move the Patrol towards the goal of providing our troopers the safest, most reliable, and best equipment available.

Changing colors on Patrol vehicles isn’t a new concept. When the Patrol was established in 1933, it owned six black, unmarked 1934 Plymouth coaches.
In 1934, the flying wheel emblem was placed on Patrol cars. The emblem is one characteristic that has remained constant on Patrol cars throughout continuous changes over the years to improve technology, safety, and efficiency.

By 1956, trooper safety was again improved when all new Patrol cars were equipped with safety belts. The first white Patrol vehicles were issued in 1966 in an attempt to lower fatalities and injuries in high crash volume areas. The white cars were very successful in reducing crash rates in assigned areas because the public was not accustomed to seeing white Patrol cars, so they went unnoticed.

Troopers on the road can appreciate the need for greater visibility on the side of roadways. Sadly, Trooper Frank Vazquez, 26, of the West Jefferson Post, was killed while patrolling Interstate 270 in Franklin County. On November 5, Tpr. Vazquez was outside of his cruiser issuing a traffic citation when a 1999 GMC Jimmy driven by David Dye, 33, struck his cruiser from behind. Tpr. Vazquez died in the early morning of November 6 from injuries sustained in the crash.

Over the next two years white cars will be integrated into the Patrol’s current fleet. When driving on Ohio roadways, be cautious around the Patrol’s new white cruisers. We all share the responsibility of keeping the roadways in Ohio among the safest to travel in the nation. Working together, we can make an impact on saving lives and reducing injuries associated with traffic crashes.

It’s about safety.