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Increase In Number Of Deaths On Ohio's Roads This Year

Ohio Department of Transportation
Ohio Department of Transportation set a chair for each person who has been killed on state's roads in 2015

More people have died so far this year on Ohio’s roads than last year.

The Ohio Department of Transportation’s Matt Bruning says, as of Monday, 1,070 people have died on the state’s roads, a nine percent increase over last year.  Bruning says the lower gas prices mean people are likely driving more.

“We also believe that there are more people who are distracted while driving and I think anybody who commutes any amount of time can see or tell a story of someone they see on their cell phone, eating lunch or doing makeup.”

ODOT is asking everyone to drive carefully throughout the holiday season. Bruning says that’s a time when there always seem to be fatalities on the state’s roadways.

Contact Jo Ingles at jingles@statehousenews.org.