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Fatal crashes nearly double in Butler County

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By Josh Sweigart, Staff Writer Updated 11:34 PM Friday, July 23, 2010

HAMILTON — Butler County has had nine more fatal crashes on local roadways this year compared to a year ago, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

This is part of a statewide trend that OSHP officials say has them “alarmed.”

As of July 21 this year, 568 lives have been lost on Ohio roadways, compared to 507 during the same time period last year — a 12 percent increase in rural and urban fatal crashes.

This flies in the face of the patrol’s statewide 24/7 Initiative created in 2007 with the goal of reducing traffic fatalities by 10 percent in Ohio by 2011.

“Although we’ve experienced great strides over the past several years... I am alarmed at the recent increase,” said Col. David Dicken, patrol superintendent. “Troopers are going to need to be vigilant at removing impaired drivers and attempting to reduce potential crashes over the next several months if we are going to meet our goal.”

Butler County has had 16 fatal crashes leaving 19 people dead as of July 22, according to the Highway Patrol Hamilton Post. There were nine crashes and 10 fatalities last year at this time. In all of 2009, 26 people were killed on area roadways.

“We haven’t been able to put a pattern on (this year’s increase),” said Lt. Wayne Price, commander of the Hamilton post. “We’ve had crashes this year on roads that we haven’t seen crashes on in several years.”

“It’s been hard to pinpoint where we can be most proactive,” he said.

This year’s numbers put Butler ahead of much more populous Hamilton County, which saw traffic fatalities drop by five so far this year. There have been 16 crashes leaving 17 dead this year in Hamilton County, according to the Hamilton post, and 21 crashes with 22 fatalities last year.

Price said many of these deaths share themes that made them avoidable. Seventy percent of those killed last year in Butler County were not wearing a seat belt, he said; alcohol was involved in 40 percent of the fatal accidents over the last three years.

While patrol officials say they are going to focus on education and enforcement, they are asking the public to do their part by driving the speed limit, wearing safety belts and not drinking and driving.

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