The pending arrival of snow in Ohio lets us know that winter is coming. And Midwestern residents are all too familiar with what this weather does to road conditions. The snow, ice and wind contribute to the many motor vehicle crashes on the state’s roads and highways.
Just how dangerous is winter driving for Ohio residents? Well, a recent analysis revealed that Ohio is the fourth-most dangerous state to drive during winter. MoneyGeek – a personal finance website – came up with these findings after studying three years’ worth of statistics from 2017 to 2019 of the National Highway Transportation Administration’s (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
State averaged 33 fatalities each year in winter
MoneyGeek based its rankings on three criteria: the number of total wintertime fatalities, the fatality rate tied to vehicle miles covered in each state, and a score that rates the states that have the safest drivers.
The three states considered the most dangerous for winter driving were in order Michigan, Alaska and Wyoming. Ohio neighbors Pennsylvania and Indiana ranked fifth ant 13th, respectively.
The website’s analysis also disclosed that Ohio recorded the second most wintertime fatalities with 99, an average death rate of 33 per winter. The Buckeye State only trailed Michigan, which recorded 165 such deaths.
Separately, the Federal Highway Administration disclosed that annually roughly 1,300 people were killed and 116,800 injured in crashes when roads contain snow, ice and slush. Also, nearly 900 deaths and 76,000 people are injured with the onset of snow or sleet.
Maintaining safe driving habits
Most drivers understand the potential hazards they face when driving during winter. Even the slightest contact with an icy patch can lead to a driver losing control of his or vehicle and crash. Please take greater care when on the road this time of the year. As long as you give extra attention to defensive driving and safe driving, things likely will work out.