Cuyahoga County in Ohio has become a magnet for car crashes. The number of car accidents, including fatalities, that occur here is the highest in the state. Much of this is due to the fact that the county includes the city of Cleveland. Even so, the number of crashes is increasing at a rate that is causing concern.
Car crashes have increased in the county
The number of fatal motor vehicle accidents in Cuyahoga County has been increasing for nearly a decade. This is a trend that shows no signs of abating. Nearly 260,000 car crashes were recorded by the Ohio State Highway Patrol in 2021 alone. More than 10% of them took place in Cuyahoga County.
Although it was Hamilton County that topped the list for crashes last year, this doesn’t mean that things are getting better in Cuyahoga. The county was second in the state for car crashes, coming in at the tragic figure of 28.066. So far, the present year has resulted in a number of crashes that keep it near the top.
I-90 in downtown Cleveland has been the site of the most crashes for the past few years. This is due to the fact that this area is a major artery for traffic coming in and out of the city at various points. As a result, more citations, accidents, and DUI arrests occur here than at any other place in the city.
The most common causes of car accidents
Experts have given a number of causes for the ongoing high rate of motor vehicle crashes in Cuyahoga County. Many of them point to such common factors as drunk driving or being distracted due to texting while driving. These distractions can lead to fatal accidents, especially if the driver is younger and less experienced.
Other causes of accidents in the county include speeding, tailgating, and not using turn signals while trying to change lanes. Many fatalities have occurred due to the fact that the driver and passengers were not wearing their seat belts. Safety experts highly recommend these measures to prevent more accidents.