Vehicle Maintenance Negligance Leads to Thousands of Accidents in Ohio

In the past few years, the state of Ohio has seen thousands of crashes where neglect of vehicle maintenance was cited as a contributing factor, reports WTAP.

Between 2019 and 2023, Ohio saw 9,811 crashes in which vehicle defects played a role, according to information from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. In that same time, 46 fatal crashes also occurred as a result of vehicle defects, resulting in 54 deaths and 2,819 injured.

The leading cause of these crashes is tire blowouts–which accounted for 28% of fatal crashes–and brake failures.

Sgt. Dustin Payne is now warning drivers to stay up-to-date on their vehicle maintenance and to be prepared in case of an emergency.

“Getting your oil changed, checking your tire pressure, checking your tire tread depth or whatever it is having the necessary tools to be able to make a repair alongside the road. Having the necessary emergency numbers handy that way if you do break down you know who to call and that goes a long way,” said Payne.