The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is telling drivers to stop hitting the brakes in the middle of highways just to make their exit. ODOT says recent crashes have happened because some drivers tried to swerve over or even come to a stop at the last second for an exit.

What happened: In one case, a truck hauling watermelons had to stop quickly for a car that was crossing several lanes to avoid missing an exit. The sudden move caused a spill that left watermelons all over the road, backing up traffic. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

• ODOT press secretary Matt Bruning said, "Luckily that truck driver was paying attention and was able to bring their truck to a stop. Had he not that could have ended very tragically."
• Spring saw two more accidents with drivers stopping where they shouldn’t. One car paused on the shoulder before veering across lanes, and another van just stopped in the highway, kicking off a pile-up. That van driver left the scene but was later caught, reported NBC4i.

Why it matters: ODOT says folks should just take the next exit if they miss theirs. Stopping or swerving at the last minute puts everyone at risk and can cause big messes for professional truck drivers and all road users.