DAYTON — Local leaders are anticipating nearly half of a million visitors in the area for Monday’s total solar eclipse.
Those traveling in Ohio on Monday will be sharing the road with a lot more people than usual, many from out of town.
A study published by the medical journal JAMA looked at driving during an eclipse.
It found in 2017 during the last total solar eclipse, in another part of the country, there was an increase in deadly crashes.
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“It’s gonna be crazy with all these people there,” Jason Reed of Dayton said.
Reed wants all those people to pay attention before, during and after the eclipse.
The JAMA study found people are more likely to be distracted on unfamiliar roads which means distractions should be limited.
“Don’t wear your sunglasses while you’re driving, not on your phones, just being aware of other people. Just be courteous and just have fun while you’re out there,” Kristi Reed of Dayton said.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event, you never get to see it,” Reed said.
Ohio does have a distracted driving law that makes it illegal to use or hold a cell phone or electronic device in your hand, lap, or other parts of the body while driving on Ohio roads.