OhioSafe Commute

by Colonel Paul D. McClellan, Superintendent, Ohio State Highway Patrol

Ohio’s rural roads are becoming safer, the number of tragedies are being reduced, and we are having a significant impact on improving the quality of life for everyone who enjoys Ohio’s roadways. At all levels of our organization, the men and women who represent the Ohio State Highway Patrol should take pride in the strides we have made so far.

I continue to be encouraged by the results we are seeing related to our new initiative and strategic goal to reduce traffic fatalities in Ohio to one per 100 million vehicle miles traveled by the end of 2007. With each passing day, I see our methods toward achieving that goal becoming more refined as each employee strives to make a difference.

Although we continue to see a reduction in rural fatalities as compared with last year, we must now focus our attention on the overall crash picture, which means positively impacting urban areas where fatality numbers continue to climb.

I am happy to announce that later this year our successful OhioSafe Commute program will be utilized in Cleveland and Cincinnati to help curb the tide of rising urban fatalities.

OhioSafe Commute stations law enforcement officers along the busiest highways during peak hours. When crashes occur, officers respond quickly to clear the scene, and minor crashes are directed off the highway for completion of crash reports. Partnering law enforcement agencies and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) work together to make the rush-hour commute safer and reduce crash-causing violations during other times of the day.

We began OhioSafe Commute in November 2003 in Dayton to very positive reviews in partnership with ODOT, Ohio Public Safety, and local law enforcement agencies. In Central Ohio, a 60-day evaluation phase took place in January and February, a second operation was conducted in March and April, and the third phase is running July 6 through Sept. 18.

In and around Columbus, our success in patrolling high-volume corridors and enforcing crash-causing violations has dramatically improved commuting on:

• Interstate 70 from Children's Hospital to Interstate 270
• Interstate 70/71 "split" from State Route 315 to Fifth Avenue
• Interstate 270 from SR 161 to U.S. Route 23 (northwest)
• Interstate 270 south of Morse Road and north of Interstate 670
• State Route 315 from Lane Avenue to Interstate 270

During the first two phases when OhioSafe Commute was in operation in central Ohio, there were no major injury or fatal crashes on any of the corridors during rush hour or other hours.

By taking the success we have already seen with OhioSafe Commute to Cincinnati and Cleveland, I am confident we can continue our quest to achieve the goal of reducing fatalities in Ohio to one per 100 million vehicle miles traveled by 2007. We have achieved a great deal in a short amount of time, and with OhioSafe Commute in more cities later this year we can achieve even more.

Media Releases

July 5, 2005 - OhioSafe Commute targets high-crash locations statewide -- Toledo joins statewide program to save lives, reduce injuries by reinforcing safe driving behavior - Commuters in Ohio’s largest cities will see increased law enforcement on congested, high-crash freeways beginning this week, as state officials continue to expand a new program to reduce injuries and fatalities on Ohio roadways.

April 11, 2005 - OhioSafe Commute to target high-crash locations statewide -- Program expands to save lives and reduce injuries by promoting safe driving in four Ohio cities - Commuters in Ohio’s largest cities will see increased law enforcement on congested, high-crash freeways beginning this week, as state officials continue to expand a new program to reduce injuries and fatalities on Ohio roadways.

December 1, 2004 - OhioSafe Commute reports no major crashes in special enforcement corridors - The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), Ohio Department of Public Safety, Patrol, and law enforcement partners are reporting that during six weeks of OhioSafe Commute in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati there were no major injury or fatal crashes in any of the high-crash corridors while OhioSafe Commute was in operation.

October 12, 2004 - OhioSafe Commute program expands to reduce injuries and fatalities -- Law enforcement to target high-crash locations in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland - Commuters in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland will see increased law enforcement on congested, high-crash freeways beginning next week, as state officials expand a new state program to reduce injuries and fatalities on Ohio freeways.