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Ohio's Financial Responsibility Law
The financial responsibility (FR) law, which took effect October, 1953, is NOT a compulsory automobile insurance law. No motorist is forced to buy auto liability insurance. The law DOES require drivers to be insured or have other arrangements to pay for injuries or damages they cause in the event of a crash. The law provides protection against irresponsible drivers.
Stricter penalties for violators of the FR law were legislated during 1994. As of October 20, 1995, this law requires law enforcement officials to ask for proof of financial responsibility when a motorist is stopped for any moving violation, accident or a vehicle safety inspection. The law requires insurance companies to issue auto insurance identification cards to policyholders, which suffices as proof of financial responsibility.
As an additional enforcement measure, the Ohio BMV enacted a mail-in random verification program in December, 1998. Those receiving the mailing are also required to provide proof of FR.
Liability Limits
Under Ohio law, the minimum amounts of liability insurance that satisfy financial responsibility law requirements are:
- $12,500 for any one person killed or injured in an accident caused by the policyholder
- $25,000 as a total limit for all persons killed or injured in an accident
- $7,500 for property damage caused in the accident
If you feel that these limits are not sufficient, you may purchase higher amounts.
Ohio's Safety Belt Law
Ohio's safety belt law was enacted in March, 1986 and revised in November, 1992. The law requires front-seat passengers of cars, vans, pickup and delivery trucks, taxicabs, commercial trucks and tractor-trailers, and buses with safety belts installed to wear them when these vehicles are driven on public roadways.
Drivers who violate the law are fined $25, while front-seat passengers are fined $15. Funds generated from the fines are partially directed to Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) programs that increase public awareness to help Ohio reach a 70% safety belt usage rate.
Exempt from compliance are children already covered by the child safety seat law; persons with medically-certified physical impairments; persons operating vehicles to deliver the mail or newspapers for home delivery; and persons in vehicles manufactured prior to 1966.
Currently, law enforcement officials are prohibited from stopping a vehicle solely to enforce Ohio's safety belt law. Citations can only be issued as a secondary action to another suspected offense. A violation of this law does not result in the assessment of points to an individual's driving record.
Evidence regarding the proper use of safety belts is admissible against certain parties in a claim for damages for the injury or death of the occupant of the vehicle.
The move for primary enforcement in Ohio
In recent years, legislation has been introduced, but not yet passed, that would make the failure to wear seat belts a primary traffic offense in Ohio, making it legal for law enforcement officers to stop vehicles any time they observed unbuckled drivers or passengers. Studies indicate that a state can expect to see a 15% increase in usage rates with the passage of a primary law.
Ohio safety belt usage rates
- In 1986, the usage rate was 43.5% (the year the law was introduced)
- In 2000, the usage rate was 65.3%, slightly higher than 1999's rate of 64.8%
- Usage rates for drivers (66%) are higher than those of passengers (62%)
- Female occupants have higher usage rates (72%) than male occupants (55%)
- Usage rates for pickup trucks (49%) are much lower than those of passenger cars, minivans and SUVs (69%)
- Commercial vehicle occupants have significantly lower usage rates (35%) than non-commercial vehicles (66%)
- For drivers, there appears to be a steady increase in usage as age increases
- For passengers, usage is highest for the 5-14 age group. However, the 15-25 age group exhibits the lowest usage rate of all, while having the highest injury rates in traffic crashes.
Note: In 1998, ODPS revised the tracking methodology to include the occupants of pickup trucks in order to comply with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration guidelines.
(Source: Ohio Insurance Institute)
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