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State Laws & Funding
Ohio
Below is a list of the key highway safety laws in Ohio. For more information, contact the Ohio Traffic Safety Office.
| No state law |
Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and State Highway Safety Offices.
| No state law | |||
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
| Child Restraint Required unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.) |
Adult Safety Belt Permissible unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.) |
Maximum Fine 1st Offense |
| <4 (or <40) in child safety seat; 4 - 7 (and <4'9") in booster seat | 8 - 14 | $75 |
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
| Per Se Laws for Drugs (Forbidding Prohibited Substances in Driver's Body) | DEC/DRE Programs (Providing Law Enforcement Training) |
| Yes | Yes |
Source: State Highway Safety Offices.
| Admin. License Suspen- sion on 1st Offense |
Limited Driving Privileges During Suspension | Inc. Penalty for High BAC | Open Container Laws | Repeat Offender Laws | Vehicle and License Plate Sanctions | Ignition Interlocks | Alcohol Exclusion Laws Limiting Treatment Opportunity | |
| 90 days | After 15 days | .17 | Yes | Yes | Impoundment, vehicle confiscation or immobilization, restricted plates | Discretion- ary |
Yes | |
Sources: Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and State Highway Safety Offices.
| Learner Stage | Intermediate Stage | Full Privilege Min. Age (Yrs./Mos.) |
Required Supervised Driving Hours (Night Hours) |
||||
| Min. Age (Yrs./ Mos.) |
Min. Dura- tion (Mos.) |
Min. Age (Yrs./Mos.) |
Night- time Driving Restriction |
Passenger Restriction* (* family members exempt) |
|||
| 15 / 6 | 6 | 16 | Age 16 Midnight - 6 a.m. Age 17 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. |
No more than 1 pass. for 16 yr. old drivers* | Night: 18 | 50 (10) | |
| Passenger: 17 | |||||||
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
| Motorcyclists | Bicyclists | ||
| Universal Helmet Law (Year Enacted) | Partial Law | Universal Helmet Law Repealed | |
| <18 or anyone within 1 year of obtaining a motorcycle license; passengers, if the operator is required to wear a helmet | 1978 | ||
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
| Length of Regular Renewal Cycle (Yrs.) | Provisions for Mature Drivers |
| 4 | |
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
| Type of Law | Who is Covered (Yrs.) | In What Seat | Maximum Fine 1st Offense |
| Secondary | 8-14 | All | $30 dvrs.; $20 pass. |
| >15 | Front | ||
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway and State Highway Safety Offices.
| Permitted on Sidewalks/Bicycle Paths | Permitted on Roads | Helmets Required | Minimum Age | Pedestrian Laws Apply |
| Sidewalks unless marked for exclusive use of pedestrians and bicycle paths | Yes on streets w/ speed limits up to 55 mph | <18 | 14 | |
Sources: Segway LLC and State Highway Safety Offices.
| Checkpoints Conducted? | Comments |
| Yes | Conducted regularly thoughout the year |
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
| Rural Interstates | Urban Interstates | Other Limited Access Roads | |||
| Cars (mph) |
Trucks (mph) |
Cars (mph) |
Trucks (mph) |
Cars (mph) |
Trucks (mph) |
| 65 | 65* | 65* | 65* | 65* | 55 |
| *Speed limits may be posted lower in some locations | |||||
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
| State Law | Violations | Location | Citation Issued To / Liability |
Image / Privacy | Penalties (Traditional Penalties) | Defenses |
| No law | Red light; speed | Various | ||||
Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
| Multiple of Original Fine | Violations Affected | Workers Must Be Present | |
| Double | Speeding | No, but must be during hours of actual work | |
Sources: National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse and State Highway Safety Offices.