Ohio Cracks Down on Distracted Drivers from the Sky

Air-troopers and troopers on the road from the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) are teaming up to catch distracted drivers, reports WTOL.

The strategy works as follows. Air-troopers circle in a concentrated area looking for drivers who are speeding, swerving from lane to lane, or following other vehicles too closely. Any of these behaviors can indicate distracted driving.

Once air troopers spot a vehicle they believe is making a violation, they clock its speed and alert troopers on the ground to make a traffic stop, reports WTOL.

The road-troopers take over from there, pulling drivers over and issuing citations when warranted.

In 2019, OSHP responded to more than 40 fatal crashes directly related to distracted driving, notes the report. This latest initiative is designed to spot distracted drivers before a collision occurs.

Distracted driving has been on the rise in Ohio for several years. In 2016 alone, some 13,994 drivers in Ohio crashed while being distracted by something inside their vehicle, according to OSHP data. There were 27 fatalities linked to distracted driving that year.