New crackdown driving law goes into full effect October 4

Jul 17, 2023

DRIVERS flouting new driving laws will be heavily penalized from October with tripled fines and 90-day bans.

The new crackdown means a third offense in two years will result in a $500 fine and four points on your license, cops in Ohio warned.

As of April 4, 2023, it is illegal to use or hold a cell phone or electronic device in your hand, lap, or other parts of the body while driving on Ohio roads.

And if a cop spots a violation, they can pull you over.

But, when the law goes into full effect in October, troopers will be able to issue tickets.

It comes after Ohio’s Governor signed a bill in January beefing up restrictions on distracted driving.

The law includes a six-month grace period, which means officers cannot issue tickets for distracted driving until October 4, according to Florence Murray, a partner and attorney at Murray & Murray.

The Ohio bill forbids drivers from using a phone or other electronic device while behind the wheel, so drivers are banned from:

The Department of Public Safety in Ohio said that "in most cases, anything more than a single touch or swipe is against the law."

Exceptions include making emergency calls and using phones while stopped at red lights.

Drivers caught violating rules after October 4 will face hefty penalties:

However, drivers are allowed to use voice-to-text software and GPS devices - so long as they don't hold the phone.

Safety officials said that drivers over 18 years old can make or receive calls via hands-free devices, including:

There are also some exceptions to the new rules.

These include drivers reporting an emergency to law enforcement, a hospital, health care provider, fire department, or similar emergency entity.

There is also an exemption for drivers holding or using cell phones and other electronic devices while stopped at a traffic light or parked on a road or highway during an emergency or road closure.

You may talk on the phone using speakerphone, or a headset, as long as you do not hold or support the phone with any part of your body, and you start and end calls verbally or with a single touch or swipe.

Officials added: "If you must physically manipulate your device, you should pull over to a safe location and park your car before handling."

Ohio law prohibits a driver from operating a vehicle while wearing earphones over, or earplugs in, both ears.

However, many retailers offer a Bluetooth adapter for vehicles without Bluetooth or similar technology built into their cars.

These adapters can be found at local retailers or online by searching for “Bluetooth hands-free car kit.”

The aim of the strengthened law is to save lives on Ohio's roads.

The latest Ohio State Highway Patrol statistics showed that from 2018 through 2022, there were 60,421 crashes in Ohio that involved one or more drivers who were distracted by something within their vehicle.

Of these, 189 were fatal crashes that resulted in 207 deaths.

Washington became the first state to ban texting while driving in 2007.

Since then, almost all US states have joined, and 42 states have enacted primary bans on handheld phone use.