FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Ohio -- U.S. Route 33 has become one of Central Ohio’s busiest highways.
As more and more people use the route to commute to work and school, the number of crashes is rising.
Along U.S. 33 in Fairfield County, tens of thousands of drivers share two lanes of pavement every day.
Sergeant Darrin Blosser is one of the Highway Patrol troopers who have the daunting task of making sure those drivers follow traffic laws.
NBC 4 went on patrol with Blosser Tuesday as he pulled over a motorist for speeding. That was just after the morning rush.
When the clock strikes 2 p.m., though, it’s a “whole-new different ball game,” he said.
“This is the busiest travel route we have in Fairfield County,” OSP Lieutenant Gary Lewis said.
He said the stretch of U.S. 33 from Coonpath Road to the Franklin County line has been where the most traffic accidents occur.
In 2006, there were 122 crashes and accidents along that stretch. There were 153 in 2007, and there were 156 last year.
There was a fatal accident on the stretch in February. It was the first fatal in a couple years.
More troopers will patrol the 14-mile stretch, starting Tuesday. The goal is to lower those statistics.
Throughout the month of June, three troopers from the Lancaster post, such as Blosser, will be dedicated to patrolling the stretch of U.S. 33 from 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
That’s when most accidents happen.
“We're not just concentrating on the area, the days of the week and the times, but we're also concentrating on the cause and factors we see. For example, following too close, assured clear distance and speed are contributing factors in these traffic crashes,” Lewis said.
Cruisers will be on the ground, and choppers will be in the air.
“There's some very strong, aggressive violations that can be seen from the air,” Lewis said.
And while July marks the end of this initiative, troopers hope it doesn't mark the end of these drivers' newfound and legal habits on the road.
For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com -- Where Accuracy Matters.
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