COLUMBUS, Ohio (WOWO) — The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is issuing a sharp warning to drivers: quit stopping in the middle of the highway just to make an exit.

According to NBC4 Columbus – Despite multiple crashes and repeated public warnings, ODOT says drivers continue to swerve across lanes or slam on the brakes to avoid missing an exit — creating life-threatening situations.

“There’s no excuse for putting people in harm’s way just so you can avoid maybe a two- or three-minute detour,” said Matt Bruning, press secretary for ODOT.

In one recent incident near Cincinnati, a watermelon truck had to make an emergency stop after a car cut across lanes to reach an exit at the last second. The truck stopped in time — but only just.

“Had that truck driver not been alert, it could have ended very differently,” Bruning said.

Other incidents in Columbus include a red van stopping in the middle of I-71, triggering a chain-reaction crash. That driver fled the scene but was later caught and charged.

“This is all avoidable,” said Bruning. “If you miss your exit, just keep going. Take the next one. It’s not worth risking lives.”

ODOT says the problem is getting worse, and while they continue to engineer safer roads, driver behavior remains the biggest wild card.

“It doesn’t cost anything to drive responsibly,” Bruning said. “But it could save lives.”