Distracted driving is one of the most serious safety concerns for all motorists. Phone use is one of the most common sources of distraction on the road, with many drivers choosing to read emails, scroll social media or make phone calls while they are also operating a vehicle. This significantly increases the chance of an accident, which is why Ohio recently passed a law to combat distraction. The new law makes using a phone while driving a primary offense.  What does this mean for distracted drivers?  By making phone use a primary offense, law enforcement no longer needs an additiona ..read more

Law enforcement considers speeding a safety threat to all motorists. Driving even a few miles per hour over the posted speed limit could result in a ticket, in turn leading to expensive fines, increased insurance rates and other complications. When the driver is traveling at excessively high rates of speed when he or she is pulled over, it could exacerbate the specific penalties brought by the ticket. Recently, Ohio law enforcement pulled over a driver who was going almost 150 mph.  High rates of speed can come with a high cost  State troopers recently released the dashboard camera f ..read more

Many drivers tend to engage in risky and even reckless behaviors on the road. In just a few moments of driving on an Ohio road, it is likely that a driver will see other motorists doing dangerous things, such as speeding, texting or driving aggressively. When polled, Ohio drivers say that they believe it is more common than ever to notice other drivers doing dangerous things while behind the wheel. However, 94% of drivers believe they are excellent drivers themselves.  Are drivers aware of their own behaviors?  According to a recent survey conducted by Nationwide, 94% of drivers beli ..read more

When a driver gets behind the wheel, his or her primary responsibility is to focus on the task at hand. This means keeping both hands on the wheel, following the rules of the road and driving as safely as possible. However, many drivers do not take this responsibility seriously, and they may engage in behaviors that are risky to themselves and other drivers on the road. This is why it is important to be familiar with Ohio’s traffic laws. Knowing state and local traffic laws is critical. Not only can this help reduce the chance of an accident, but it can also make it less likely that a driver w ..read more

The dangers of texting while driving are well-known, and distraction is now one of the leading causes of accidents across the country. As a result, lawmakers have taken action to reduce the chance of drivers holding their phones and taking their eyes off the road while operating a vehicle. One way Ohio is fighting the issue of distracted driving is by making texting a primary traffic violation, which means police can pull them over for only that.  A primary offense  Very soon, texting while driving will become a primary traffic violation. This means that police will not need another ..read more

When operating a motor vehicle, an Ohio driver is responsible for following the rules of the road, including yielding to oncoming traffic and stopping at stop signs. Failure to stop when there is a sign could result in a traffic stop by law enforcement, during which the driver could receive a citation that may require him or her to pay a fine. Stop signs control traffic flow and discourage speeding, and they can make the roads safer. However, some stop signs in one town were recently ruled illegal.  The impact of removing stop signs  A recent ruling made certain stop signs in Genoa T ..read more

In high-traffic areas, such as cities, speeding is a serious safety concern. When a driver is traveling at a rate that is over the posted speed limit, it makes it much more likely that he or she will strike a pedestrian or cause a rear-end accident. For this reason, speed limits within many Ohio city limits are often lower than in other areas. Soon, these limits may be even lower in the Columbus area.  Will lower speed limits help?  The Columbus City Council is set to vote regarding a possible change to current speed limits. If the measure passes, it will lower the current speed limi ..read more

In a recent effort that spanned six different states, state troopers focused on monitoring for infractions of traffic laws, including speeding, texting while driving and more. Part of this effort took place in Ohio over the course of one weekend. Troopers gave out over 600 citations for infractions that included OVI, speeding and safety belt enforcement. During the operation, troopers focused on the I-75 corridor in the state. Dangerous behaviors and violations of traffic laws Over one weekend, troopers were carefully monitoring drivers traveling along I-75. The intent of this effort was to di ..read more

Individuals who operate large commercial vehicles have the responsibility of driving safely and adhering to the rules of the road. Due to the large size and heavy weight of semitrailers, large trucks and other types of commercial vehicles can cause significant damage in collisions. This is why there are stricter regulations and requirements for individuals who have commercial driver’s licenses in Ohio. Those who have CDLs are held to a higher standard than those who have a regular license. This includes stricter limits on permissible BAC levels, stricter requirements for adherence to speed lim ..read more

The state of Ohio has a statutory speed limit that applies to all jurisdictions unless a local government seeks permission to change it. However, there are options that will allow a town to bypass this process. Recently, Cleveland Heights was able to drop its speed limits on some roads to 25 mph without getting permission from the Ohio Department of Transportation. The city was able to do this by reclassifying five of its roads.  Reclassification of certain roads  Local leaders made the change to the speed limit in an effort to make certain roads safer. They changed the streets from ..read more