Distracted Ohio Driver Runs Off Road And Rams Car Into Home's Front Porch [Video]

Ring camera footage of an Ohio home captured a distracted driver ramming into the house's front porch. The clip was shared on social media to warn drivers about distracted driving.

The video, posted by the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) Monday, shows a vehicle steering off the road and slamming into the porch of a house in Fremont on Jan. 12. A man stepped outside to check on the driver and asked if they were okay. A woman, presumed to be the driver, was then heard responding off-camera in the video, according to Denver7.

“Oh my god, I was reaching for a bottle of water,” the woman was heard saying.

OSHP said the driver removed her safety belt and ran off the road while reaching for an item in the back seat. No injuries were reported during the incident, the post said.

As the state’s Highway Patrol warned drivers about the dangers of distracted driving, they said that cell phones and mobile devices are not the only concern, Cleveland 19 News reported.

“On average, troopers write over 7,400 distracted driving citations every year,” the video said. “Distracted driving remains a top priority for the Ohio State Highway Patrol, so that crashes like this one can be prevented.”

The department also said in their tweet: “Remember to #BuckleUp and focus on the road.”

The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety) said 3,142 people were killed by distracted driving in 2019. According to the website, distracted driving includes any activity that diverts the driver’s attention from driving, including talking or texting on the phone, eating or drinking, playing around with the stereo system and even having conversations with other occupants inside the car.

“You cannot drive safely unless the task of driving has your full attention,” NHTSA said on their website. “Any non-driving activity you engage in is a potential distraction and increases your risk of crashing.”

It was also noted that texting is the most dangerous of all the distractions. NHTSA said a driver would be taking their eyes off the road for about 5 seconds if they send or read a text. “At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed,” the website read.