law update
Distracted Driving in Ohio
Do you know what your State’s law is regarding distracted driving? More importantly, do your bus drivers know what your State’s distracted driving law is?
Effective October 5, 2023 the State of Ohio has updated its Distracted Driving Law. The new penalties are as follows:
- 1st offense in two years: 2 points assessed to driver’s license, up to a $150 fine.*
- 2nd offense in two years: 3 points assessed to license, up to a $250 fine.
- 3rd or more offense in two years: 4 points assessed to license, up to a $500 fine, possible 90-day suspension of driver license.
- Fines doubled if the violation occurs in a work zone.
* Completion of a distracted driving course can help avoid the fine and points.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol defines the following three types of distracted driving:
MANUAL
Anything that takes one or both hands off the wheel, including adjusting settings in the car, reaching for objects in the car, or self-grooming
VISUAL
Anything that causes drivers to take their eyes off the road, including looking at a phone or GPS device, viewing wildlife or pedestrians, or staring at billboards, roadside crashes, etc.
COGNITIVE
Anything that takes your mind off the road, including speaking with passengers, talking on a cellphone, or daydreaming
Here’s what is considered to be distracted driving under Ohio’s updated law:
- Dialing a phone number
- Sending a text
- Browsing social media
- Video calls
- Browsing the internet
- Watching videos
- Playing games
- Recording or streaming
The Ohio State Highway Patrol has developed a Distracted Driving Dashboard to provide a detailed view of distracted driving crashes and violations across Ohio and the important work troopers are doing to reduce the impact of this dangerous crime.
All of the information in this blog can be found on the Ohio State Department of Transportation and Ohio State Highway Patrol websites. Be sure to check your state’s Department of Transportation website and share the information with your District Transportation Director.
Get In Touch
Do the bus drivers of your district understand the driving laws of your state?
