COLUMBUS – As Ohioans prepare for and celebrate the Fourth of July holiday, troopers will be highly visible on roadways across the state to promote traffic safety by intercepting impaired drivers.
This year’s Fourth of July holiday reporting period, which begins at midnight on Thursday, July 2 and runs through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, July 5, coincides with the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign.
While we gather with friends and family to mark the 250th anniversary of our great country, people are encouraged to plan ahead and celebrate responsibly by designating a sober driver or using a rideshare service.
During this holiday reporting period, the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) aims to reduce fatal traffic crashes and ensure everyone reaches their destination safely. Troopers will have a zero-tolerance policy for drivers operating a vehicle while impaired by drugs and/or alcohol.
When looking specifically at OVI-related crashes from 2021-2025, there were 3,113 fatal crashes on Ohio roadways. Those crashes resulted in 3,400 deaths, which accounts for 55% of the total number of traffic fatalities during that timeframe. Of those fatalities, nearly 75% involved individuals under the influence of drugs.
“A reality that we all must face is that one death on Ohio’s roads is still one too many,” said Colonel Charles A. Jones, Patrol superintendent. “Every single impaired driving crash is preventable, and it is up to the individual to make the right choice.”
The 2025 Fourth of July holiday reporting period ran from Wednesday, July 3 through Sunday, July 6, and during that timeframe, there were 14 fatal crashes that killed 14 people. Of those, eight crashes and eight fatalities involved drugs and/or alcohol. During those four days, troopers with the OSHP made 409 OVI arrests.
Motorists are urged to buckle up, follow all traffic laws and never drive impaired. If you see an impaired or reckless driver, drug activity or a disabled vehicle, safely call #677 to be connected to your nearest Patrol post.
