COLUMBUS, Ohio — As Ohioans travel throughout the state during the summer months, the Ohio State Highway Patrol is urging drivers to follow posted speed limits and make safer choices behind the wheel. According to the Patrol, speeding continues to be a major factor in crashes, injuries and fatalities on Ohio roadways.

The Patrol emphasized that posted speed limits are not suggestions. They are determined using road design, traffic volume and environmental factors to ensure safe travel. Governor Mike DeWine reinforced this message, stating, “Speed limits are chosen with one goal in mind, to keep everyone traveling on the road safe.”

Crash data from the Patrol shows the scale of the problem. From 2021 to 2025, Ohio recorded 146,961 crashes involving unsafe speed. The Patrol also reported 1,663 speed-related fatal crashes, resulting in 1,839 deaths during the same period.

Colonel Charles A. Jones, superintendent of the Patrol, noted that troopers witness the consequences of high-speed crashes daily. He said, “Speeding significantly reduces your reaction time and increases the severity of a crash, which is why we will be highly visible and enforcing traffic laws on roadways across the state.”

The Patrol will continue monitoring and enforcing traffic laws, but officials stressed that the most effective tool in preventing speed-related crashes is responsible driving. Additional crash data is available on the Ohio Statistics and Analytics for Traffic Safety dashboard.

Drivers are encouraged to report reckless or impaired motorists by safely calling #677.