Fines now in effect for drivers using phone under Ohio’s distracted driving law

MIAMI VALLEY — Drivers who pick up their phone while driving could be ticketed and fined now that the grace period has ended for Ohio’s distracted driving law, which took effect in April.

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The law, even under the six-month grace period during which law officers handed out warnings only, already has saved lives, Gov. Mike DeWine said Thursday, noting, “distracted driving will no longer be tolerated in the state of Ohio.”

And the state has collected the data to back up the governor’s statement about the law already having saved lives. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the number of distracted driving crashes in September was the lowest number in nearly six years -- 576 crashes vs. more than 1,300 recorded in May 2018.

The first nine months of 2023, there were 1,255 fewer distracted driving crashes as compared to the same time period in 2022, DeWine said. Deaths blamed on distracted driving fell by 25 percent, he said.

News Center 7′s Taylor Robertson spoke with state troopers about why the law is necessary. They said distracted drivers are a huge concern and more than 60,000 crashes have involved distracted driving on Ohio roads since 2018.

Nearly 2,000 of those crashes have been either deadly or serious.

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Patrol Sgt. Tyler Ross told Robertson the law is necessary because distracted driving is about taking people’s lives.

The six-month grace period was the time for drivers to educate themselves on what the law means.

He said drivers should work together to eliminate all distractions on the road.

“If you look at a year to date, just under 20 percent of our serious injury and fatal crashes have gone down under distracted driving-related,” he told Robertson. “Now that people know that you can issue a citation, we expect those numbers to hopefully continue to decrease.”

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There are exemptions to the law:

• Drivers are allowed to call fire, police or even a hospital in the event of an emergency.
• If a driver is in standstill traffic or at a red light, it is OK to check the phone.

Stop signs are another story, according to Sgt. Ross. He said drivers cannot be on their phones because they still need to be aware of their surroundings.

Minors are not eligible for those exemptions, according to the state law.

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If drivers do get pulled over, these are the penalties, according to ODOT’s website:

• First offense: 2 points assessed to license, up to a $150 fine.
• Second offense: 3 points assessed to license, up to a $250 fine.
• Third offense: 4 points assessed to license, up to $500 fine, possible 90-day suspensions of driver’s license.

Fines will double if the violation occurs in a work zone, according to ODOT.

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Drivers over the age of 18 can make or receive calls via hands-free devices. This includes:

• Speakerphone
• Earpiece
• Wireless handset
• Electronic watch
• Connecting phone to vehicle

In most cases, anything more than a single touch or even swipe is against the law, ODOT said.

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Sgt. Ross told Robertson a completion of a distracted driving course could help avoid the fine and points.

“There is a class offered by the Department of Public Safety that will allow you to get rid of or wave that fine or fee and points and give you that opportunity to educate yourself and see why it is an area of concern,” he said. “And basically, get better, don’t do it again.”

Sgt. Ross said it is a challenge since everyone is on their phones.

“We understand it is 2023, technology is a big part of our personal and professional lives, we’re on our phone, but that’s why we had a six-month period to try to get rid of that habit, that routine of being on your phone,” he told Robertson.

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There are some tips to avoid getting cited before you start driving:

• Install a phone mount to use with your phone. Place it a good distance away so you aren’t tempted to pick it up.
• Start your favorite playlist before driving.
• Get your GPS ready to go before you drive off.

For more information on Ohio’s distracted driving law, visit this website.

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