Highway Patrol Urges Drivers to Put Phones Down During Distracted Driving Awareness Month
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NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (April 23, 2026) – The Ohio State Highway Patrol is urging drivers to stay focused during April’s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, reminding motorists that Ohio law allows troopers to stop drivers seen using a cellphone or other electronic device.
New Philadelphia Post Sgt. Bill Bower said distractions generally fall into three categories: VISUAL (eyes off the road, such as checking a GPS), MANUAL (hands off the wheel), and COGNITIVE (mind off driving, including driving while tired).
Patrol data show more than 48,000 crashes involving distracted drivers in Ohio from 2021–2025, including 158 fatal crashes that claimed 170 lives.