The city of Toledo is located in Lucas County. The downtown area of the city has recently experienced a revival. Downtown Toledo was once forgotten, but now it’s thriving with restaurants, retail stores, and entertainment venues. But has this increased activity affected local drivers?
The Ohio State Patrol reports an increase in speeding incidents. This applies to the entire state, not just Toledo. It’s becoming common for drivers to exceed the speed limit by 20 mph or more. And more people are driving at dangerous speeds, up to 100 mph or more.
In 2020, almost 4,000 speeding tickets were given to speeding drivers traveling more than 100 mph. That’s an 87 percent increase over the previous two-year average.
Also in 2020, there were 347 traffic fatalities caused by speeding. That’s a 4 percent increase in deaths caused by speed-related traffic accidents. However, in Lucas County where Toledo is located, there was a decrease in fatal crashes.
In 2017, Lucas County had 43 traffic fatalities. The county had 33 fatalities in 2018, and 33 fatalities in 2019. Although any fatality is a tragedy, at least Lucas County fatalities decreased.
Speeding is deadly. If you’ve received a speeding ticket, consider enrolling in a defensive driving course. You can possibly have your ticket dismissed if you complete the course. And if you take the course seriously, you’ll become a better driver in the process.