Staff Report

GALLIPOLIS — The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported ten fatalities over the Christmas holiday weekend in traffic crashes on Ohio roads, as compared with 14 people killed last year.

OVI-related fatalities declined as well, with four of the ten fatalities being OVI-related, as compared to seven of 14 fatalities last year.

The Gallia-Meigs Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol reported minimal traffic accidents over the holiday weekend with no fatalities or serious injuries occurring.

Provisional Ohio traffic fatalities and traffic data for the weekend of Dec. 24, beginning at 6 p.m. through Dec. 28, ending at 11:59 p.m. are as follows:

Two fatal crashes resulting in two killed and two injured occurred on state and federal highways.

Five fatal crashes resulting in five killed and one injured occurred on county/township roads.

Two fatal crashers resulting in two killed occurred on city streets.

One fatal crash resulting in one killed occurred on an interstate highway inside a city.

Of eight applicable fatal crashes, seat belts were used in four instances, were not used in one instance, and use is unknown in three instances.

One fatal crash involved a motorcycle in which a helmet was not used.

One fatal crash involved a pedestrian.

As a reminder, motorists can call toll-free 1-877-7-PATROL to receive highway help, report suspicious activity, or advise troopers of disabled vehicles.