Thanksgiving weekend crashes on the decline in Southwest Ohio

Crashes over the long Thanksgiving weekend in the region are on the decline, according to the Safety Council of Southwest Ohio.

From the Wednesday before Thanksgiving until the Sunday after, crashes in 2018 totaled 526 in Butler, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren counties. Statewide, there were 3,175 crashes.

Impaired driving made up 29 of the 526 crashes in 2018, and 218 of the 3,175 crashes statewide. Both totals have trended downward since 2016.

Total crashes have also trended downward since 2015 when there were 4,007 holiday crashes statewide and 744 in the region.

Only one fatal crash happened in 2018 over the five-day holiday weekend, which happened in Hamilton County, according to the data.

The last Warren County fatal crash over the Thanksgiving weekend happened in 2017. Butler County’s last fatal crash happened in 2016.

Here’s how Butler and Warren counties compared to the statewide numbers of Thanksgiving holiday crashes from 2014 to 2018:

Ohio

2018: 3,715 total crashes, 7 fatal, 218 OVI-related crashes

2017: 3,312 total crashes, 17 fatal, 204 OVI-related crashes

2016: 3,663 total crashes, 9 fatal, 275 OVI-related crashes

2015: 4,007 total crashes, 7 fatal, 253 OVI-related crashes

2014: 3,427 total crashes, 20 fatal, 220 OVI-related crashes

Butler County

2018: 96 total crashes, 0 fatal, 4 OVI-related crashes

2017: 105 total crashes, 0 fatal, 9 OVI-related crashes

2016: 91 total crashes, 1 fatal, 12 OVI-related crashes

2015: 112 total crashes, 0 fatal, 6 OVI-related crashes

2014: 80 total crashes, 0 fatal, 11 OVI-related crashes

Warren County

2018: 45 total crashes, 0 fatal, 3 OVI-related crashes

2017: 59 total crashes, 1 fatal, 4 OVI-related crashes

2016: 51 total crashes, 0 fatal, 2 OVI-related crashes

2015: 74 total crashes, 0 fatal, 4 OVI-related crashes

2014: 45 total crashes, 0 fatal, 2 OVI-related crashes

About the Author

Michael D. Pitman

Michael D. Pitman has been a reporter in southwest Ohio since 1999. He's covered local governments in Warren and Butler counties, as well as state and national issues. He currently covers the cities of Fairfield and Hamilton.