Two vehicles involved in a late December 2022 pileup on the Ohio Turnpike were in violation of travel bans put into place due to winter weather, according to a new report.
According to a February 1 report from FOX 8 I-Team, two vehicles involved in the December 23 Ohio Turnpike pileup were in violation of a travel ban put in place by the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission.
The travel ban went into effect on at 6 a.m. on December 23 and applied to the following vehicle types.
- All high-profile tow-behind trailers, campers, boats, and enclosed trailers (excludes 5th wheel trailers)
- Commercial trucks towing an empty single 53 foot trailer
- All mobile homes, office trailers, and livestock trailers
- All long combination vehicle (LCV) double-trailer combinations exceeding 90 feet in length
- All LCV triple trailer combinations
The pileup occurred in the eastbound lanes of the Ohio Turnpike on December 23, 2022, as whiteout conditions, high winds, blowing snow, and slick road conditions were reported in the area. OSHP said that the crash occurred after several vehicles became disabled in the eastbound lanes of the Turnpike. Amid the low visibility conditions and winter weather, other eastbound drivers continued to strike the previously disabled vehicles, resulting in the pileup.
Fifty-one vehicles were involved in the pileup. Four people were killed and seventy-three others were injured.
According to the Fox 8 I-Team report, the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission provided the following statement on who was responsible for enforcing the travel ban:
“It is the protocol of toll operations to deny entry of banned vehicles and contact the Ohio State Highway Patrol for enforcement, if needed.”
The Ohio State Highway Patrol did not cite any drivers for violating the travel ban over the Christmas weekend or escort any vehicles off the Turnpike, per the report.
The report did not provide information on how the two banned vehicles contributed to the pileup or what types of vehicles they were.
No charges related to the pileup have been filed at this time.
The investigation into the pileup continues.