The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that drivers were getting into preventable crashes and losing their lives throughout Ohio.
News Center 7 previously covered the story citing over 10,000 crashes were due to mechanical defects from failure to check brakes and tires before heading out on the road.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol tracked automotive crashes from 2018 to 2022. The agency found 10,103 crashes in the state were attributed to vehicle defects.
Of the 10,103 crashes, 42 were deadly, resulting in 49 deaths—statistics that Sergeant Tyler Ross reiterated to News Center 7 Reporter Kayla McDermott. Tire blowout was the leading cause of these types of crashes, making up 31 percent.
“I would say close to 100 percent of these crashes were avoidable,” Ross said. “A lot of the times, we’re getting tires out of the roadway because people are having blowouts and they’re not checking them.”
McDermott referenced a video that highlighted this experience, but also showed how people on the roadway could be injured. The video showed a male trooper picking up debris from a blown tire when an impaired driver hit his cruiser, which then hit him.
“That’s how we most likely get injured,” Ross said.
Instances like these have led to 2,779 of the 10,103 crashes injuring at least one person.
Over 200 vehicle defect-related crashes have happened this year, resulting in one death.
“I’m not a bit surprised,” AAA Public Affairs Manager Kara Hitchens said. “You need to make sure that your car is up to date. Check your tires at least once a month. Having your car checked out is just as important as making sure that you’re paying attention on the road.”
AAA offered a 52 point safety check on their website so that drivers could examine their cars before driving on the road.