Chief Shaner urges Holmes County caution for Memorial Day, school year end

Memorial Day weekend is the first test

Chief Shaner is pushing a simple message for Holmes County: slow down, stay alert, and do not let the holiday weekend catch you off guard. As Memorial Day approaches and the school year winds down, the county is moving into one of its busiest late-spring stretches, when more teens are driving, more children are home during the day, and more people are on rural roads, in villages, and heading out for holiday plans.

That mix matters in Holmes County, where drivers move between Millersburg, surrounding villages, school campuses, and nearby destinations every day. Add holiday travel, longer evening drives, and extra outdoor activity, and the margin for error gets smaller fast. The safest approach is the least complicated one: drive sober, put the phone away, watch for walkers and cyclists, and expect traffic to be heavier than usual.

What the statewide warning says

The local reminder lines up with a broader safety push from the Ohio Turnpike and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, which urged travelers on May 21 to avoid speeding and distracted driving, especially in construction work zones. Their warning also said drivers should obey lower speed limits in work zones and drive sober over the holiday period. Work zones across the Ohio Turnpike were set to be limited from Friday, May 22, through Tuesday, May 26, to help manage holiday traffic.

That caution is backed by grim numbers. The Ohio State Highway Patrol said 26 people were killed in 22 fatal crashes during the four-day Memorial Day weekend reporting period in Ohio in 2025. A May 19 WOSU report said Ohio had 11 fatal crashes and 12 deaths over the 2025 Memorial Day weekend. The Ohio Turnpike release also cited National Safety Council data showing 38% of fatal traffic crashes during the 2024 Memorial Day holiday period involved an alcohol-impaired driver.

The message is not subtle. Memorial Day travel is one of the most dangerous holiday patterns on the calendar, and the risk rises when speed, distraction, alcohol, and road work all mix together.

Why Holmes County families should be extra careful now

Late May in Holmes County is a transition period. The school-day routine is ending, summer schedules are starting, and kids spend more time at home during daylight hours. That creates more chances for young children to be outside, cross streets, ride bikes, or follow family members around driveways, yards, and neighborhood roads.

Teen drivers also become a bigger concern this time of year. With school letting out and social plans picking up, more inexperienced drivers are on the road at the same time that holiday traffic is moving through the county. That means more need for patience in village areas, at intersections near schools, and on roads where visibility changes quickly.

Holiday weekends also bring more outdoor projects and recreation. If your plans include boats, grills, or ATVs, treat them with the same caution you would give any vehicle or fire source. Keep a sober adult in charge, make sure children stay away from hot surfaces and machinery, and do not let tired, distracted, or impaired people operate equipment.

The school calendar adds to the traffic

West Holmes Local Schools has Memorial Day listed as no school on May 25, 2026, with the last day of school set for May 28 and a teacher work day on May 29. That means families are already moving out of the regular school-year rhythm and into summer mode while the holiday weekend is still unfolding.

West Holmes High School’s senior timeline adds another layer of movement around Millersburg. Senior exams ran May 11 through May 13, the senior last day was May 13, mandatory graduation practice was May 14, and graduation was May 17 at 2 p.m. Families, relatives, and classmates have already been making trips tied to those dates, and that kind of late-spring traffic often spills into the final school days and holiday weekend.

For anyone driving near school buildings, neighborhood streets, or routes often used by students, the safest assumption is that children, teens, and pedestrians may be around when you least expect them.

Use the tools that can make the weekend safer

The state is also pointing drivers to OHGO, which provides real-time traffic information and a network of more than 1,300 live cameras. That matters if you are heading toward the Ohio Turnpike, navigating construction, or trying to avoid a delay on the way to a family gathering, cemetery visit, or holiday trip outside the county.

Work zones are not just an inconvenience. The May 19 report noted that ODOT crews had been hit 54 times since the start of 2026, a reminder that roadside workers are exposed every time a driver speeds, drifts, or fails to move over. Slow down early when you see orange cones, flashing signs, or stopped traffic, and give yourself enough time to react.

A quick Holmes County holiday checklist

• Buckle up every trip, even short drives across town.
• Put the phone out of reach before you start the engine.
• Plan for more children outside during the day and more teens on the road at night.
• Slow down in village areas, on rural roads, and near parks, cemeteries, and school zones.
• If alcohol is part of the holiday, arrange a sober driver before you leave.
• Check OHGO before long trips and again before heading home after dark.
• Treat boats, grills, and ATVs with extra caution and keep children clear of them.
• Watch for bicycles, pedestrians, and drivers who may be backing out of driveways or pulling onto narrow roads.

Chief Shaner’s warning lands at exactly the right moment. Holmes County is heading into a weekend shaped by travel, graduation season, school dismissal, and warmer-weather recreation, and the safest families will be the ones that prepare early, drive carefully, and keep the holiday from turning into a preventable emergency.