Car accidents cause worst Labor Day in five years

As Toledo, Ohio personal injury attorneys, we see the devastation car accidents can cause to families. Holidays are especially dangerous. This past Labor Day weekend marked the deadliest Ohio Labor Day holiday in five years, according to the State Highway Patrol, as reported by the Toledo Blade. The death toll rose by 71% this year when 24 people were killed in car accidents from midnight Friday, August 30th to midnight Monday, September 3, as compared to Labor Day weekend 2006 when 14 people lost their lives. Twenty fatal automobile accidents caused the 24 deaths. Five of those crashes involved alcohol use. Three people were killed due to non-seatbelt use and eight fatalities were motorcycle related. Ohio has not seen this many deaths on Labor Day weekend since 2002 when there were 25 reported fatalities, according to the Highway Patrol. The Ohio State Highway Patrol has been working alongside Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) to reduce the number of drunk driving cases, in order to decrease the number of car accidents. This joint effort, along with federal funding for officer overtime pay, helped Ohio State Highway Troopers arrest over 700 people for drunk-driving this Labor Day Weekend alone, according to their website. Help prevent personal injuries caused by car accidents by following all posted speed limits and signs. Know your limit: the national legal blood alcohol limit is 0.08%, no exceptions. For people under 21, there is zero-tolerance for alcohol consumption. Alcohol and drugs seriously impair your ability to operate a vehicle. Designate a driver before festivities begin, and stick to that designation. Never drive if you are feeling drowsy or sick, or feel that you could be a hazard to others on the road. Keep you, your family and other families safe on the road by being a smart driver and passenger.