COLUMBUS, Ohio - After announcing July on Ohio roads was the deadliest since 2007, Gov. Mike DeWine on Tuesday called on the Ohio General Assembly to pass a bill that would increase criminal penalties on drivers who text and use other devices.
In July, 154 people were killed on Ohio highways, DeWine said.
Speed was a contributor to the accidents, but the number of people on motorcycles killed was up 52% compared to the previous July and pedestrian fatalities were up 113%. Federal research shows 94% of serious crashes are caused by driver error, DeWine said.
He called on the Ohio General Assembly to pass Senate Bill 285, which is sponsored by Sens. Sean O’Brien, a Bazetta Democrat, and Stephanie Kunze, a Columbus-area Republican.
The bill, which is in a Senate committee, would increase the penalty for texting while driving from a minor misdemeanor to a new unclassified misdemeanor crime -- using electronic wireless communication devices while driving -- with a $150 fine, and tiered penalties for additional violations within a three-year period.
DeWine said his administration worked with O’Brien and Kunze on the bill.
“It’s a good bill, is supported by every safety group, and should have bipartisan support,” he said. “I ask the General Assembly to move on that bill. It will save a lot of lives.”
Under current law, distracted driving is a second offense, Ohio Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Richard S. Fambro said.
That means officers have to witness another crime before they’re allowed to pull a vehicle over.
“It makes it significantly difficult for law enforcement, not just troopers but law enforcement in general, to get their hands around the problem,” he said.
SB 285 would make using an electronic wireless communication device while driving a primary offense.
“It is a significant problem we face that we need to have the support of the General Assembly,” Fambro said.
Early in the pandemic, traffic and crashes decreased significantly. For instance, in April there was a 13% reduction in traffic fatalities compared to the previous year, and the second lowest month overall for traffic fatalities in over 13 years.
“As Ohio began to open up, we saw a definite uptick in crashes, fatal crashes, and a significant increase in speeds at which vehicles were traveling on Ohio’s roads,” he said. “As of today, we have issued over 2,200 citations for 100 or more miles per hour on Ohio’s roadways. That’s a 61% increase when compared to the same time period in 2019.”
DeWine also announced he will sign an executive order to create the new Ohio Traffic Safety Council, which will be lead by the Ohio Department of Public Safety, which will have members who are in law enforcement, advocates against drunk driving and others. They will monitor all statewide traffic safety initiatives, analyze the results, analyze trends and advise DeWine’s office on innovative ways to create safer roads, DeWine said.
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