COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio officials report traffic fatalities across the state declined for the fourth straight year, continuing a downward trend that began in 2022.
Governor Mike DeWine, Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Charles Jones and Ohio Department of Transportation Director Pamela Boratyn announced the figures based on preliminary data from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The data shows traffic deaths in 2025 dropped by about 3% compared to 2024, representing 32 fewer lives lost. Since 2022, the decline amounts to 231 lives saved statewide.
Ohio recorded 1,356 traffic fatalities in 2021. That number fell to 1,275 in 2022, 1,242 in 2023, 1,157 in 2024 and 1,125 in 2025.
According to patrol statistics, nearly 23% of fatal crashes in 2025 involved vehicles leaving the roadway. Other leading causes included failure to yield the right of way, unsafe speed, driving left of center, following too closely and running stop signs. Officials also say distracted driving remains a significant contributing factor, though it is often underreported.
Failure to wear a seatbelt continues to play a major role in traffic deaths. In crashes involving vehicles equipped with seatbelts, nearly 62% of people killed between 2021 and 2025 were not wearing a safety belt, totaling nearly 2,500 fatalities. In crashes where seatbelts were available, 61.5% of those killed during that five-year period were unbelted.
State leaders credit a comprehensive traffic safety strategy for the continued decline. The DeWine administration has focused on reducing distracted driving, improving roadway design and strengthening driver education requirements.
ODOT’s Highway Safety Improvement Program has grown into the largest per-capita highway safety program in the nation, funding projects at locations with high numbers of fatal and injury crashes.
Ohio has also strengthened its distracted driving laws. Senate Bill 288, signed in 2023, prohibits most drivers from using or holding electronic devices while driving. Since enforcement began in October 2023, traffic fatalities have dropped 11% compared to the two years prior, a reduction of 280 deaths.
New driver training has also expanded statewide. Drivers ages 16 to 20 are now required to complete driver training before testing for a license. Since 2022, the Ohio Traffic Safety Office’s Drive to Succeed scholarship program has helped more than 6,000 teens cover the cost of required driver education.
State officials say the continued decline shows progress, but emphasize that roadway safety remains a priority as traffic deaths remain a serious concern.
