THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION’S NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) is calling on drivers to recognize that speeding is aggressive driving that endangers everyone on the road. NHTSA’s “Speeding Catches Up With You” campaign aims to curb reckless behavior, educate drivers on the consequences of speeding and save lives.
Speeding contributes to thousands of fatal crashes and many more injuries every year. In 2024, there were 11,288 speed-related traffic fatalities, accounting for 29 percent of all traffic fatalities.
In 2024, 39 percent of male drivers and 20 percent of female drivers in the 15- to 20-year-old age group involved in fatal traffic crashes were speeding.
Speeding continues to contribute to deadly crashes in Ohio and across the country.
In 2025, 310 people were killed in speed-related crashes in Ohio, representing about one in four of statewide traffic fatalities.
Over the last five years, 62 percent of drivers at-fault in Ohio’s speed-related crashes were male.
Young drivers remain particularly vulnerable, with one-third of speed-related crashes during this time caused by drivers aged 15-24.
“A speeding-related crash can easily result in a devastating injury or a fatality because of the intense impact on the body. Each mile per hour above the speed limit increases the likelihood of a crash and the severity of its impact,” explained Faith DeNardo, Wood County Safe Communities Coordinator. “We are urging everyone to commit to keeping our roads and towns safe by obeying all speed limits. Slowing down is the right choice—ultimately, Speeding Catches Up With You,” she said.
Speeding increases the risk of losing control and impairs the driver’s ability to respond safely to traffic, hazards and sudden changes in the road. Speed limits establish safe and predictable speeds that allow all road users to anticipate each other’s behaviors and share the road.
Driving faster than the posted speed limit diminishes the driver’s ability to judge distance and time safely to avoid serious and deadly crashes.
Following posted speed limits is not just the law—it is a shared responsibility to protect all lives on the road.
Drivers and riders should slow down, stay focused and make safety their priority.
For more information, visit htsa.gov/campaign/speeding-catches- up-with-you.
For more information, contact Faith DeNardo at faithy@bgsu.edu or Lt. Matthew N. Geer, Ohio State Highway Patrol Post 87 Commander at mngeer@dps.ohio.gov.
Safe Communities of Wood County is a division of Community Well Being, office of Health and Wellness, Bowling Green State University ✲
