Knox Public Health has received a $35,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Public Safety to promote traffic safety awareness in Knox County.
This annual competitive funding is used to coordinate initiatives led by the Knox County Safe Communities Coalition. The coalition works closely with local law enforcement, and other related agencies to bring awareness to traffic safety trends seen in Knox County. Local traffic safety trends are identified through concerns addressed by local residents and crash data provided from the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
"We are nearing the end of 2021, with Knox County currently at two traffic fatalities," KPH said in a press release. "The traffic fatality numbers have been steadily decreasing each year, with seven in 2019 and six in 2020. This is a dramatic decrease from 13 traffic fatalities in 2018."
The release cited statistics back to 2019 to current showing Knox County roadways have experienced a total of 15 traffic fatalities. Within the past two years, 60% of the traffic fatalities were caused by a driver impaired by drugs and/or alcohol, and nearly half were not wearing a seatbelt (or helmet if driving a motorcycle). Impaired driving and lack of wearing seatbelts/helmets are Knox County’s top traffic fatality trends.
“Our goal every year is to reduce the number of traffic fatalities in our community; each life lost is one too many,” Elisa Frazee, Knox Public Health’s safe communities coordinator, said in the press release.
For more information or to get involved with the Knox County Safe Communities Coalition, call Frazee at 740-392-2200, Ext. 2272.
