COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported a nearly three-percent drop in fatal vehicle crashes in 2025; however, the Valley did not see a decrease, based on preliminary data.

  • Mahoning County recorded 17 deaths from fatal crashes in 2025, the same number as in the previous year. 
  • Trumbull County saw an increase in fatal crashes in 2025, with 20 deaths, up from the 17 fatal crashes that occurred in 2024. 
  • Columbiana County saw nine deaths in both 2024 and 2025.

The number of deaths caused by vehicle accidents in Ohio declined overall for the fourth year in a row. Ohio saw 1,356 road fatalities in 2021; 1,275 deaths in 2022; 1,242 in 2023; 1,157 in 2024 and 1,125 deaths in 2025.

According to OSHP statistics, 23 percent of fatal crashes in 2025 were caused by driving off the roadway.

Other top causes of death in cars in 2025 in the state included failure to yield the right of way, unsafe speed, driving left of center, following too closely, and running a stop sign. Distracted driving is also believed to be a contributing factor to crashes overall.

The report also stated that failure to wear a seatbelt was also a major factor in the death rate, with 62 percent of the people killed between 2021 and 2025 not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. 

"Four straight years of declining traffic deaths is more than just a statistic; it represents hundreds of lives saved," said ODOT Director Pamela Boratyn. "From major intersection reconstructions to improved technology and signage, our strategic focus on high-crash locations is making a measurable difference. We are proud of this progress, which shows that our safety programs are working to make Ohio's roads safer for everyone who uses them."