Traffic

Cuyahoga County has recorded 313 pedestrian-related crashes through Oct. 5, including 20 fatalities, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol data. The figures come as October marks National Pedestrian Safety Month, prompting Gov. Mike DeWine and state officials to urge both drivers and pedestrians to exercise greater caution on the road.

Statewide, Ohio has seen 14,391 pedestrian crashes since 2021, resulting in 862 deaths, with Franklin, Cuyahoga, and Hamilton counties reporting the highest totals. Ohio ranks 13th lowest nationally for pedestrian fatalities, and fatal crashes have trended downward since 2021, though year-to-year numbers fluctuate. Two recent Akron deaths—Jaymeeson Franklin, 35, and Jesse McCool, 38—occurred within a day of each other in late September. OSHP is urging drivers to avoid distractions, yield to pedestrians, and obey speed limits, while pedestrians are advised to use sidewalks, wear visible clothing, and cross at designated areas. Officials call pedestrian safety a shared responsibility.

Charleston Mayor William Cogswell has proposed requiring developers to conduct broader traffic studies before projects are approved, a change announced at an Oct. 6 State of the City meeting on Johns Island that drew a packed, applauding crowd frustrated by worsening congestion. Currently, developers must analyze traffic only at a project's immediate entrances and exits; the proposal would expand that scope to the surrounding area, giving the city's technical review committee more authority to require fixes if a road is already failing. Officials liken the approach to the city's strict stormwater rules and to a concurrency bill Charleston wants state lawmakers to pass, which would require infrastructure to be ready before development proceeds. Existing property entitlements limit how much growth the city can restrict outright. Cogswell also highlighted planned roadway upgrades and new amenities for Johns Island, and noted a Nov. 3 transportation sales tax referendum that would fund mobility improvements or otherwise lead to higher property taxes. Residents offered mixed reactions, with some calling for even stronger protections.

A batch of new Arizona traffic laws took effect Sept. 12, the standard start date for legislation passed during this year's session. The changes address distracted driving, motorcycle lane splitting, vehicle booting, and driver's license photo requirements.

House Bill 2109 raises fines for repeat distracted-driving offenders, increasing penalties for a second phone-use violation to a flat $400, up from the previous $150-$250 range, and adds a $150 fee if a distracted-driving crash involves a motorcyclist. House Bill 2941 makes certain lane-splitting maneuvers a Class 2 misdemeanor classified as reckless driving, though motorcyclists may still pass safely between lanes under specific speed and road conditions. Repeat offenders risk license suspension or jail time. Senate Bill 1205 establishes statewide standards for vehicle booting companies, capping fees, restricting practices, and barring booting of emergency vehicles or occupied cars. Separately, drivers now must update their license photos every 16 years instead of 12.

Former state Rep. Kamia Brown and incumbent Commissioner Mike Crabb are headed to a November runoff for Orange County (Fla.) Commission District 2, under newly redrawn boundaries covering Apopka, Clarcona, Lockhart and Ocoee. The League of Women Voters of Orange County hosted a forum where both candidates agreed on protecting the Wekiva River basin, with Crabb citing septic and sewer infrastructure fixes and Brown calling water quality a public health priority.

The candidates diverged on other issues: Crabb emphasized faster traffic-technology upgrades, while Brown focused on transit education and locating affordable housing near public transportation.

A key flashpoint is Florida's Amendment 3, which would raise the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 and lower the non-homestead assessment cap, requiring 60% voter approval. County officials estimate potential revenue losses of about $165 million in 2027 and $275 million in 2028. Brown called the measure a "tax shift" rather than relief, favoring more time for state action, while Crabb voiced concern over the scale of cuts but said it's premature to decide specifics, noting heavy MSTU reliance for fire services.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) has sent Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont a letter demanding an apology after a 29-year-old Ohio man, Austin J. Karr Grimes, was killed in an August 29 crash in Fulton County, Ohio. Authorities say Washington G. Naula Ochoa, 34, who held a Connecticut "drive-only" license issued to people who cannot prove legal status, ran a stop sign and struck Grimes' SUV, which overturned. Two passengers, a woman and a child, suffered minor injuries. Naula Ochoa has been charged with vehicular homicide.

Moreno's letter blames Connecticut's licensing policy for the death and gives Lamont five days to disclose how many drive-only licenses have been issued, how many holders have committed crimes or registered to vote, and the program's cost. Lamont responded with condolences but defended the policy, saying it improves road safety and insurance rates. Connecticut is among 19 states plus Washington, D.C., that license drivers without legal status; research on crash risk from such laws is mixed, with studies reaching differing conclusions on fatality rates.