Crime & Safety

Ring in the New Year Safely

Make sure teens and adults remember to drive safely.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol and the want drivers to be safe this New Year’s weekend.

Locally, police will be out on the roads, said Chief Richard E. Mannarino.

Mannarino said he thinks that the holiday isn’t as dangerous as it’s perceived—people are pretty careful, he added. But it’s still important to drive defensively and report anything suspicious to the department.

Last year, 10 people died on Ohio’s roadways between midnight on Dec. 30 and 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 2, according to a press release from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Seventy percent of those accidents involved an impaired driver. So far this year, traffic fatalities are down.

It’s not just those of drinking age who need to be wary this weekend—parents should talk to their teens before they head out for the night.

A new national survey on driving habits shows one in 10 teens has driven drunk on New Year's Eve.

But the study also shows a way for other teens to protect themselves—and their friends behind the wheel: Just ask them not to.

About 94 percent of teens surveyed said they would stop drinking and driving if a passenger in the car asked them not to, according to the study by Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions).

Some 90 percent said they would stop driving under the influence of marijuana if asked to by a passenger.

Want to make something special for the designated drivers at your New Year’s Eve bash? Check out .


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