With fewer people on the road during the early days of the pandemic, more drivers were speeding and driving recklessly, resulting in more crashes being deadly, a new study found.

Researchers at The Ohio State University conducted a detailed analysis of traffic in Franklin County, Ohio, which includes Columbus, from Feb. 1 to May 8, 2020 — the period right before and after COVID-19 stay-at-home orders were instituted by the state governor.

While the total number of collisions declined after the lockdown, the proportion of those crashes that were incapacitating or fatal more than doubled, results showed.

«More of the crashes that did occur were severe, not just because of less congestion, but also because of drivers who were speeding, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs,» said Jonathan Stiles, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher in geography at Ohio State.

Pandemic driving also led to far fewer rear-end collisions and more single-vehicle crashes, findings revealed.

The study was published this week in the journal Transportation Research Record and will appear in a special issue on COVID-19.

Story Source:
Materials provided by Ohio State University. Original written by Jeff Grabmeier. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.