Ohio’s Deadliest Roads and Fatal Accident Statistics

10 Deadliest Road Stretches in Ohio

Drunk Driving Involved in 32.3% of Fatal Accidents

Of the 3,189 fatal accidents that occurred in Ohio between 2018 and 2020, 32.3% were drunk driving-related. In most states, drunk driving contributes more to fatal car crashes than other factors like distracted driving, speeding and winter conditions. MoneyGeek’s study shows Ohio follows a similar pattern.

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) measures the percent of alcohol in a person’s bloodstream at a given time. In Ohio, a BAC of 0.8% makes you legally intoxicated, but consuming even a small amount of alcohol can impair your driving abilities.

Drunk driving also causes other repercussions outside of a fatality. The legal costs of drunk driving in Ohio are long-term and extensive, ranging from a license suspension to possible jail time.

If your license is suspended after a DUI conviction, you’ll need to file for SR-22 insurance in Ohio to have it reinstated. This status signals to car insurance providers that you’re a high-risk driver, leading to increased insurance rates. There may be some options available for relatively affordable insurance after a DUI, but these are almost certain to be more expensive than pre-DUI coverage.

Speeding Is a Factor in 27.4% of Fatal Crashes

Speeding was involved in 875 — or 27.4% — of all fatal crashes in Ohio from 2018 to 2020.

It’s no wonder — speeding presents numerous dangers, including losing control of your vehicle and difficulty making sudden stops, increasing the chances of severe injuries or fatalities.

Distracted Driving Contributed to 5.1% of Fatal Accidents

From 2018–2020, 164 fatal accidents involved distracted driving — that’s 5.1% of all fatal crashes in the state. While this is still a significant number of deadly accidents, MoneyGeek’s worst states for distracted driving study ranked Ohio 35th in the nation, meaning it had lower rates of distracted driving accidents than 69% of states.

August Had More Fatal Accidents Than Any Other Month

MoneyGeek found that most fatal accidents — 331 or 10.8% — from 2018 to 2020 occurred in August. July had the second-highest fatal crashes at 338, or 10.6% of all deadly accidents. September came in third with 325 (10.2%) deadly crashes.

Average Fatal Accidents by Month

Driving Safely Protects You, Others and Your Wallet

You can help keep Ohio’s roads safe by being a responsible driver. Safe driving practices don’t just allow you to contribute to society — they can also potentially save you hundreds of dollars per year in car insurance.

Regardless of your driving behaviors, car insurance is essential to protecting yourself financially in the event of an accident. If you cause an accident in Ohio, state insurance laws require you to cover the other driver’s bodily injury and property damage expenses. Carrying full coverage auto insurance protects you from those costs and provides coverage for damages to your own vehicle, person and passengers.

The average auto insurance policy in Ohio costs $803 per year. However, your premiums can vary depending on where you live in the state. For example, a car insurance policy in Toledo costs $837 annually. In comparison, auto coverage in Akron is $113 less. The average auto insurance plan in Columbus — Ohio’s most populated city — is $793 yearly.

These premiums may change depending on other factors such as your age, driving experience and driving record. Comparing quotes from various carriers can help you find the most affordable car insurance companies for you.

Fatal Accidents and Most Dangerous Roads: County Breakdown

Fatal crashes from Ohio’s top five counties accounted for 30.3% of all accidents resulting in fatalities — that’s 967 incidents. At 302, Franklin County contributes the most deadly crashes, with most of these happening on I-270. MoneyGeek’s analysis found that most fatal crashes in the county involved drunk driving or speeding — each being involved in 92 and 70 accidents, respectively.

Fatal Accidents and Contributing Factors By County

Methodology

MoneyGeek analyzed fatality data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Fatal Accident Reporting System’s (FARS) database for 2018, 2019 and 2020. Currently, 2020 is the latest data available in the system.