Crime & Safety

Portage has 3rd Most Teen Driver Citations Statewide

Only Franklin and Clermont counties surpassed Portage, which saw 3,228 citations between 2009-2011

Teen drivers in Portage County are among the most cited for traffic violations across Ohio, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Portage teen drivers were cited 3,228 times between 2009 and 2011, according to the patrol. That figure made Portage the third-highest county in the state for number of teen driver citations.

Only Franklin County, home to Columbus, and Clermon County surpassed Portage with 4,272 and 3,292 citations, respectively, in that same time period.

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Lt. Nakia Hendrix, commander of the Ravenna patrol post, said that high number of citiations among teen drivers is part of the reason why the highway patrol launched its "You Are in Control" campaign in August. The program is meant to teach high school students and student athletes about the dangers new drivers face.

"No one else is in control of the vehicle except for the person behind the wheel," Hendrix said. "That is why responsibility, awareness and safety are so important for our youngest drivers."

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During that two-year period 60 percent of the citations issued were for speed-related offenses and 19 percent were for seatbelt violations, according to the patrol.

Speeding was involved in an April crash on River Bend Boulevard that injured three Kent teens.


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