Fatal crashes increased in 2025 in Portage County, report shows

After a sharp decline in traffic fatalities in 2024, Portage County experienced a grim 2025 on its roadways: 17 fatal crashes resulting in 18 total deaths. And it was the usual culprits of impaired and distracted driving that claimed most of the lives.

According to the Portage County Fatal Crash Review Board’s annual report that was released Feb. 12, 10 of Portage County’s 17 fatal crashes in 2025 involved alcohol or drugs. “These are not accidents. They are choices that forever change families and communities,” Portage County Prosecutor Connie Lewandowski said.

The numbers are way up from 2024, when Portage County recorded a total of 11 fatal crashes resulting in 12 deaths.

The spike in fatal crashes and deaths in 2025 is particularly frustrating for Lewandowski considering the lower numbers in 2024 came on the heels of 2023’s carnage of 19 fatal crashes and 19 related deaths. It now seems that 2024 was the exception, not the rule.

“As we review our year-end traffic fatality numbers, it is clear that many of these tragedies were preventable,” Lewandowski stated in the press release. “Distracted driving and driving under the influence continue to be leading factors in fatal crashes. … We remind the public that one moment of inattention or impairment can have irreversible consequences.”

The Portage County Fatal Crash Review Board, a function of the Portage County Health District and Portage County Safe Communities, also found that:

The leading contributing factors in fatal crashes in 2025 were unsafe speed and failure to yield.
Geographically, 13 fatal crashes occurred in rural areas, while four occurred in urban areas, “highlighting the increased risks often present on rural roadways,” the release states.
Motorcycle safety remains a critical concern in Portage County. Five fatal crashes involved motorcycles, with only two of those riders wearing helmets.

Crash timing data also shows higher risk during overnight hours:

• 10 fatal crashes occurred between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
• Two fatal crashes occurred between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• Five fatal crashes occurred between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m.

“We urge every driver to slow down, stay focused, and make responsible decisions behind the wheel,” Lewandowski said. “Safe driving is a responsibility we all share.”

The Portage County Fatal Crash Review Board, a mandate of the Safe Communities grant, is responsible for reviewing fatal crashes to identify trends and recommend evidence-based countermeasures aimed at preventing future tragedies.

For more information, residents can contact the Portage County Health District at 330-296-9919.