OSHP says more people are speeding during pandemic, some reaching 100+ MPH

CINCINNATI (FOX19) - The Ohio State Highway Patrol says more people are speeding on Ohio roads during the coronavirus pandemic.

Since the pandemic started, OSHP says more than 300 tickets have been issued statewide for people traveling over 100 mph and they say it’s happening at all hours of the day.

OSHP troopers are working both on the ground and in the air to try to catch drivers who are driving too fast.

“There’s a lot more open spaces where a lot of times people would catch up with traffic and have to slow down due to the traffic," Hamilton County Highway Patrol Post Commander Lt. Scott Kuntz said. “One thing we’re seeing is their speeds are getting faster and faster and it creates a substantial risk to society when we don’t get out there and slow those folks down.”

The OSHP focuses most of their efforts on the interstates.

On I-275 near the I-75 interchange in Hamilton County, Kuntz says troopers have seen such a increase in speeds there, they’ve brought out their viation Section.

“On Monday at two o’clock we went out and we started to work and within 15 minutes we had five vehicles over 100 mph and shortly thereafter arrested in individual that was doing 105 mph while under the influence," Kuntz said.

Of the more than 300 tickets issued since the pandemic began to people traveling over 100 mph, 31 of those are out of Butler County.

Someone was pulled over for driving 148 in a 65.

“His comment was that he just didn’t realize that he was going that fast," Kuntz said.

The trooper issued the driver a citation.

“Our goal is to prevent as many fatalities and serious injury crashes as we can," Kuntz said. "We just ask folks that they would observe the speed limit and drive safely and honor Ohio traffic rules during this time.”

It varies by county, but in Hamilton County, depending on the circumstances of the traffic stop, the driver could face a reckless operation charge, and that could result in having your license suspended.

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