Ohio State Highway Patrol reports 11 deaths in eight fatal crashes during Thanksgiving holiday reporting period.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol reports 11 deaths in eight fatal crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday reporting period, which began at midnight on Wednesday, November 26 and concluded at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 30. According to preliminary Patrol statistics, at least two of the eight fatal crashes recorded during the reporting period were OVI-related. In a continued effort to lower that number to zero, troopers made 281 arrests for impaired driving and 38 for drug-related charges. In the fatalities where a safety belt was available, three were unbelted. Although Ohio’s safety belt law remains a secondary violation, troopers continue to have zero tolerance during the holiday reporting period when motorists were stopped for a violation and found to not be wearing a safety belt.