More Than Half of Ohio’s Fatal Crashes Happen at Night, New Study Finds

More than half of Ohio’s fatal traffic crashes happen after the sun goes down, according to a new analysis of federal crash data.

The study by Zilocar, using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, found that 566 of Ohio’s 1,077 fatal crashes in 2024 occurred at night. That means 52.6% of all deadly crashes in the state happened after dark, placing Ohio eighth among states with the highest number of nighttime fatal crashes.

Researchers found August was Ohio’s deadliest month for nighttime crashes, with 75 fatal crashes recorded after dark. By comparison, February saw just 29 nighttime fatal crashes.

Nationwide, more than half of all fatal crashes, 53.6%, happened at night in 2024, totaling more than 19,400 deadly nighttime crashes.

Texas recorded the highest number of nighttime fatal crashes, followed closely by California and Florida.

Alex Nechoroskovas, CEO of Zilocar, said while larger states naturally see more crashes because of higher traffic volumes, Ohio’s numbers suggest other factors may also contribute.

“In Ohio, 52.6% of crashes occur after dark, suggesting there may be other factors at play beyond traffic volume alone, such as road lighting, rural road networks, or local driving habits.”

He said the findings are a reminder that nighttime driving presents unique challenges, including reduced visibility, fatigue and changing road conditions.

Safety experts recommend slowing down, minimizing distractions, using headlights properly and remaining especially alert when driving after dark.