Distracted driving can now lead to tickets in Ohio

(WKBN) — Beginning this week, drivers in Ohio will now be ticketed for distracted driving under a new law that allows officers to pull over drivers for being on their phones.

The law first went into effect in April featuring a six-month grace period — where officers could pull people over and hand out citations but not issue tickets — that will expire Oct. 5.

Under the new law, police can pull drivers over for calling, texting and even using speaker-phone. However, drivers are allowed to use a hands-free device while driving.

The new law will establish up to a $150 fine or a distracted driving course for violators on the first offense. Then a $250 fine for the second offense and $500 for the third offense within two years.

Since 2017, there have been 73,945 distracted driving crashes, 39% of which have been with drivers between the ages of 15 and 24.

First News spoke with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on the matter when the law was introduced earlier this year. “The states that have done this have seen a real reduction in that distracted driving. That’s going to save a lot of lives, so we’re happy about that,” DeWine said.

For more information, visit the Ohio Department of Transportation’s website.