A deadly crash at a toll plaza on Interstate 80 near Swanton, Ohio, in 2024 could have been avoided if the turnpike used fully electronic tolling and provided clearer information about toll payment options, according to findings by the National Transportation Safety Board.
On August 15, 2024, a crash occurred at the Swanton Township Toll Plaza on the Ohio Turnpike. An SUV was traveling in the left lane of the high-speed toll lanes when it suddenly slowed and moved across the path of a truck-trailer while attempting to enter the low-speed manual toll booth lanes on the right side of the toll plaza. The truck struck the SUV from behind and overturned.
Two passengers in the SUV died, the driver and another passenger were seriously injured, and the driver of the truck was also seriously injured, the NTSB reported. Sulfonic acid carried by the truck spilled following the rollover, though no injuries from chemical exposure were reported.
Hybrid Toll Plaza Design Identified as Key Risk Factor
NTSB investigators determined that the toll plaza’s hybrid design — which combines high-speed electronic tolling lanes with separated low-speed manual tolling lanes — increased the risk of a severe crash by creating conditions that encourage last-minute sudden lane changes and large speed differences between vehicles.
Video of the Swanton toll plaza over a three-week period showed 1,099 similar last-minute lane changes, an average of 52 per day, with vehicles illegally traveling through the marked area between the high-speed and low-speed tolling lanes. Illinois and Pennsylvania have already implemented fully electronic tolling on their portions of the Interstate 80 turnpike.
Emergency Access and Seatbelt Use Also Flagged
The investigation also found that emergency responders were delayed because they lacked direct access to the toll road. While investigators noted this delay would not likely have changed the survivability of this crash, it presents risks for future incidents. The NTSB recommends the turnpike commission evaluate the need for additional emergency access points at toll plazas and construct them where appropriate.
Investigators further found that vehicle occupants were not wearing seatbelts, which could have prevented their injuries and deaths. As a result, the NTSB is reiterating a 2014 recommendation to Ohio requiring the enforcement of seatbelt use for all vehicle occupants.
NTSB Calls for Full Electronic Tolling
“This crash shows the deadly safety consequences of mixing high-speed electronic tolling with low-speed manual tolling lanes,” said NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy. “We encourage the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission to implement fully high-speed electronic tolling, as states like Pennsylvania and Illinois have, and permanently close the low-speed lanes to make the roadway safer for everyone.”
The NTSB is recommending that the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission permanently close low-speed tolling lanes and implement fully electronic tolling at its toll plazas. The board also recommended that the Federal Highway Administration adopt guidance on the safety benefits of fully electronic tolling. Additional recommendations were issued to the state of Ohio, Springfield Township, and the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association.
