Fatal accidents on Ohio’s roadways over the Labor Day holiday hit a five-year low this weekend, on what the Ohio State Highway Patrol considers to be one of the most dangerous weekends on the road.
On Sunday, Ohio University senior Gloria Dawes, 22, from Adena, Ohio, was killed after her car went through the median and was struck by another car. Dawes was one of 10 motorists killed in Labor Day weekend car accidents in Ohio this year.
The crash left OU graduate Ryan Payne, who was a passenger in the car, with serious injuries.
Last weekend’s total deaths were less than half as many as in 2007, when 24 people were killed over the Labor Day weekend, according to an Ohio State Highway Patrol news release.
“We still know we have a problem with unsafe drivers who do not make good decisions,” Lieutenant Public Affairs Commander Anne Ralston said.
Throughout the weekend, 693 people were arrested statewide for operating a vehicle while impaired, up 14 percent from last year, when 607 were arrested, according to the release.
In an attempt to make the roadways safer, state highway troopers are “enforcing all crash-related violations,” Ralston said.
During the Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends, the Ohio State Highway Patrol increased efforts to cut the number of highway deaths by having additional officers on duty.
“We schedule more troopers during that time to make for safe roadways,” Ralston said. “We do give those days special attention.”
Commanding officers may post overtime hours for specific times to target OVI drivers, Ralston said.
OU officials learned of Dawes’ death Monday and made plans to contact her family, Dean of Students Ryan Lombardi said.
Funeral services for Dawes will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at St. Adalbert Church in Dillonvale, Ohio.
Memorial contributions can be sent to the Gloria Dawes Dance Scholarship Fund c/o Oglebay Institute Dance Dept., 1330 National Rd, Wheeling, WV, 26003.
aw366209@ohiou.edu
