CINCINNATI — The American Automobile Association wants to make sure drivers take special care on Ohio’s highways this July 4 holiday weekend, which is historically one of the most dangerous times of the year. The auto club is predicting it will be the busiest holiday weekend ever on the roads in Ohio.

What You Need To Know

• 2.3 million Ohioans are expected to hit the highways this July 4 weekend


• AAA wants to remind drivers to slow down and move over when they see a broken-down car and tow truck driver on the side of the road


• AAA in Cincinnati unveiled a new truck with safety messages bearing the names of two of their drivers killed during service calls on the highway

​“We’ve never projected travel numbers this high for Independence Day weekend,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel.

She said nearly 2.3 million Ohioans are planning to travel over the long weekend — a 4% increase over last year.

That means potentially more service calls for AAA tow truck drivers, who face more risk on the side of the road. On July 4, 2021, Glenn Ewing lost his life answering a call on the highway near Cincinnati and Keith Skaggs was struck and killed on a call last April. Their names are now painted on the side of a new tow truck that carries a plea to motorists to “slow down and move over” a lane when possible.

“It’s really important that people follow these move-over laws that require drivers to slow down and move over one lane away from roadside workers,” said Tom Weidemann, CEO at AAA Club Alliance. 

It’s not just AAA drivers; it’s police, it’s firefighters, it’s medical personnel, construction workers — anyone doing their work on the side of the highway.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, an average of 24 roadside workers are killed by motorists in the U.S. every year.