Ohio officials encourage safe driving over Labor Day weekend

OHIO — The Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Ohio Turnpike Commission are warning drivers to stay alert and sober this holiday weekend.

More than 700,000 cars will travel along the turnpike this weekend, according to the commission, and cars will travel approximately 40 million miles. That’s a slight increase from last year. 

To help cut down on traffic, construction in work zones along the Ohio Turnpike will be limited. Two lanes of traffic in both eastbound and westbound directions will remain open in work zones.

“Speeding in work zones is a primary cause of crashes,” said Chris Matta, chief engineer and deputy executive director of the turnpike commission. “Please do your part when driving through work zones by maintaining a safe following distance, being prepared to slow down or stop, obeying the speed limit, avoiding distractions and paying close attention to the signs.”

Labor Day is the end of what officials call the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer,” which are statistically the most dangerous days for crashes on roadways across the U.S.

The Ohio Turnpike also put out a warning to drivers about distractions, such as speeding and phones.

“This Labor Day, we remember those who paved the way for American ingenuity and hard work,” said Ferzan Ahmed, executive director of the turnpike commission. “We ask everyone to travel safely this Labor Day weekend. The top risky driving behaviors to avoid include speeding, driving distracted, driving while impaired or drowsy, and failing to buckle up.”

To further promote roadway safety, OSHP will be cracking down on impaired drivers through its reporting period for Labor Day, which runs Friday through Monday.

“It is important everyone celebrates the Labor Day weekend responsibly,” said Col. Charles Jones, OSHP superintendent. “That means designating a sober driver before you go out, ensuring all occupants are wearing their safety belt and putting all distractions away before you drive.”

In 2024, there were 18 deaths as a result of crashes over Labor Day weekend. Fourteen of the crashes were OVI-related. Troopers also made 382 arrests for impaired driving and issued 932 citations for distracted driving.