OHIO — The Ohio Department of Transportation, alongside Gov. Mike DeWine has announced a new set of warning systems that will utilize technology to identify traffic congestion and serve warnings to drivers, according to a press release.

What You Need To Know

  • The Ohio Department of Transportation, alongside Gov. Mike DeWine has announced a new set of warning systems that will utilize technology to identify traffic congestion and serve warnings to drivers

  • The new initiative will see the installation of these warning systems across 13 highway locations around urban areas

  • The first of these sites was actually put in place on Thursday, Feb. 15, in Licking County on I-70 westbound at State Route 310 near the location of the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District charter bus crash in November that killed six, including three teenagers
  • Cameras will be placed at the sites, and when they identify traffic that has slowed or come to a standstill, a message board will be triggered some miles back

The new initiative will see the installation of these warning systems across 13 highway locations around urban areas, the release states, that ODOT considers “high-congestion, high-crash areas.”

The first of these sites was actually put in place on Thursday, Feb. 15, in Licking County on I-70 westbound at State Route 310. This was close to the location of the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District charter bus crash in November. That crash resulted in the deaths of six people, including three teenagers.

"As technology continues to evolve, we're always looking for new ways to help prevent serious and fatal crashes on our highways," DeWine said in the release. "Although we're confident that these warning systems will help prevent crashes, there is still no substitute for safe driving. For these signs to be effective, drivers must be paying attention."

Cameras will be placed at the sites, and when they identify traffic that has slowed or come to a standstill, a message board will be triggered some miles back, and the information will also be sent to traffic apps.

The release notes that these systems are meant to stop what are known as “end-of-queue crashes.” This is when a driver, who did not realize traffic had slowed or even stopped, collides with a vehicle at the back of the pack.

According to ODOT, there were 8,811 of these such crashes in 2023, and they expect a reduction of 16% with the integration of this technology.

ODOT anticipates implementation of all the systems to take approximately two years and are considering other areas within the state that could also use these systems.

“I’m incredibly proud of the efforts our team has made to ensure Ohio is leading the way when it comes to deploying these new resources," ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks said in the release. "These new warning systems, combined with Ohio's toughened distracted driving laws, will surely save lives."

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