COLUMBUS, Oh (WOWO) — Ohio is offering free rideshare credits to help keep impaired drivers off the road over Halloween weekend, as state traffic officials point to a deadly holiday period last year that included 19 fatal crashes and a sharp increase in drug-related deaths. The Ohio Traffic Safety Office, a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, is activating its Project Plan Ahead program from Thursday, October 29, through early Monday, November 2. The initiative provides eligible Ohioans with up to $15 in Uber or Lyft credits to help them get home safely rather than drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The credits are available from 5 p.m. Thursday, October 29, until 3 a.m. Monday, November 2. Rides must originate in or have a destination within one of seven participating counties: Butler County, including Hamilton; Cuyahoga County, including Cleveland; Franklin County, including Columbus; Hamilton County, including Cincinnati; Lucas County, including Toledo; Montgomery County, including Dayton; and Summit County, including Akron. The program is designed to provide an alternative to impaired driving during a holiday period when celebrations and increased travel can create additional risks on Ohio roads. State traffic data underscores the concern. During the five-day Halloween reporting period in 2025, 19 people died in 19 fatal crashes across Ohio. Thirteen of those crashes were related to operating a vehicle under the influence, commonly referred to as OVI in Ohio. Drug involvement in fatal crashes also increased. Twelve fatal crashes during the 2025 Halloween reporting period involved drugs or a combination of alcohol and drugs, a 33-percent increase from the previous year and a 200-percent increase compared with 2021. Over the past five years, Cuyahoga County recorded 95 OVI-related crashes during the Halloween reporting period, the highest total among Ohio counties. Franklin County recorded 83, Hamilton County had 65, and Montgomery County reported 52. The Project Plan Ahead credits are limited and will be distributed while supplies last. Each eligible ride can receive up to $15 in assistance, with passengers responsible for any amount exceeding the credit. Riders must request an eligible trip at the time they need transportation. Rides cannot be scheduled in advance to qualify for the credits. Participation is also restricted to trips that begin or end within one of the seven designated counties. Ohioans can find eligibility requirements, ride codes and information about participating transportation providers through the Project Plan Ahead website at oh.projectplanahead.com. The Halloween activation follows two earlier deployments of the program in 2026, over Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. State officials reported substantial participation during both efforts, along with declines in traffic fatalities compared with previous years. During the Memorial Day weekend activation, 2,000 rideshare vouchers were claimed statewide, and more than 1,200 rides were taken using the program. Provisional crash data from the Ohio State Highway Patrol showed six traffic fatalities over the holiday weekend, the lowest number recorded for Memorial Day weekend in 18 years. None of the six deaths was believed to be related to OVI, according to the reported preliminary findings. The program returned over Labor Day weekend, drawing even greater participation across the seven participating counties. A total of 5,502 vouchers were claimed, and 77 percent were redeemed through Uber or Lyft. That amounted to 4,226 rides taken with the assistance of the program. Ohio State Highway Patrol crash data showed a 55.6-percent decrease in traffic fatalities compared with Labor Day weekend in 2025. At least one of the 12 fatal crashes recorded during the 2026 Labor Day weekend was OVI-related. The results provide an early measure of participation in the initiative, although the reported comparisons alone do not establish that the rideshare credits caused the declines in fatalities. With Halloween approaching, the Ohio Traffic Safety Office is again making the credits available in the seven counties as part of its effort to prevent impaired driving. The program offers drivers and passengers another transportation option during a holiday period that has historically included alcohol-related crashes and an increasing number of fatal crashes involving drugs. The state’s message is straightforward: arrange a safe ride before getting behind the wheel after drinking or using drugs. The post Ohio Reports 19 Halloween Traffic Deaths in 2025 as State Expands Safe-Ride Program appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less