Traffic fatalities in Cuyahoga County more than doubled since 2018

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - We have a 19 News safety alert on a troubling trend in Northeast Ohio.

The number of deadly crashes in Cuyahoga County has more than doubled in recent years.

We spoke to Antonio Anderson earlier this year, who was in disbelief over the loss of his brother.

Hoskins died in February at 29 years old after a car accident in Cleveland on Kinsman near East 79th Street.

“I just had to see for myself, man. It don’t make it no better, though. It don’t make it no better at all,” Anderson said.

Hoskins’ death is one of at least 14 traffic-related fatalities investigated by Cleveland Police so far this year.

Six of those fatal crashes happened in just the last two weeks.

Across Ohio, there have been 301 traffic deaths since January 1, according to statistics from the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Those numbers are down from 343 during the same time period last year.

That’s 42 fewer deaths to date in 2022.

In Cleveland, fatal crashes are also down, around 22% this year.

While that’s an improvement, 19 Investigates found since 2018 the number of traffic fatalities in the city has actually doubled.

Cleveland recorded 33 traffic deaths in 2018.

Since then, the numbers have only gone up, climbing to 65 deaths in 2021.

And in Cuyahoga County, the overall number of traffic fatalities since 2018 has more than doubled, according to data from highway patrol.

Speed was a factor in 40% of traffic deaths, while nearly half were OVI-related.

OSHP data shows the majority of deadly crashes in Cuyahoga County occurred on Fridays and Saturdays between the hours of 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.

Most have happened along I-90, followed by Route 6, I-480, and Route 422.

Right now, Cleveland Police are still trying to find the drivers responsible for a deadly hit-skip on Route 6 in Cleveland.

Police said 36-year-old Shana Buckner was killed on April 10 while walking on Superior near East 108th.

Investigators are looking for two cars that appeared to be racing side-by-side before one of them struck the victim.

Anyone with information is asked to call Cleveland Police.

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