ODOT provides Memorial Day driving tips

ODOT information

COLUMBUS — For the second year in a row, Memorial Day has ranked second-deadliest out of the top six major holidays on Ohio’s roads.

Of the 2,049 crashes during the 2011 Memorial Day holiday in Ohio, there were 884 injuries and 12 fatalities.

“Nobody wants to see their holiday end in tragedy,” said ODOT Director Jerry Wray. “A few simple, life-saving steps are all it takes to arrive alive.”

ODOT safety experts recommend using the following tips so that motorists can arrive at their destination this holiday weekend safe and on time:

Don’t Tailgate: Leave plenty of room between you and the car in front of you.

Stay Alert: Avoid distractions, especially in construction zones.

Slow Down: Obey reduced speed limits when traveling in construction zones. Remember, fines are doubled in construction zones.

Click It or Ticket: Memorial Day is the official beginning of the state’s Click It or Ticket seat belt campaign. According to the Ohio Department of Public Safety, in 2009, 397 of the people killed in crashes on Ohio’s roads were not wearing seat belts.

Know Before You Go: Visit www.BuckeyeTraffic.org for up-to-the-minute travel information and a user-friendly map of work zone locations, traffic congestion alerts, road closures and weather conditions 24 hours a day, seven days a week.