Ohio lawmakers seek to boost traffic safety
Pending bills target distracted driving, among other things.
Across the nation, COLUMBUS — lawmakers are considering ways to improve road safety, including tighter restrictions for teen drivers, safety measures for bicyclists and pedestrians and additional traffic camera systems, according to a new study from the National Conference of State Legislatures.
In state legislatures, lawmakers considered almost 2,000 traffic safety bills last year, including ones to protect children and passenger and crackdown on drunken, drugged and aggressive driving, according to NCSL research.
In 2016, 37,461 people died on U.S. roadways, which is a 5.6 percent increase over the 35,485 fatalities in 2015. Deaths attributed to distracted and drowsy driving declined, but those linked to speeding, alcohol and not wearing seat belts increased, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Traffic deaths reached their highest levels in a decade.
Ohio is currently considering 16 traffic safety bills, including bumping up the age at which teens obtain their first license, classifying electric bicycles based on power and speed and allowing motorcyclists to wear earplugs while riding.
Pending bills would also increase penalties for distracted driving, limit the use of traffic cameras and mandate bike helmets for kids.
The federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention created a cost calculator — dollars and lives that could be saved — for 14 traffic
safety ideas. Ohio lacks nine of those safety measures, including a motorcycle helmet law and stricter enforcement of seat belt laws. The CDC estimates Ohio could avoid 169 fatalities and 10,459 injuries if the state adopted those nine measures.
In the past five years, Ohio lawmakers have raised the speed limit to 70 miles per hour on rural highways and freeways; prohibited texting, using cellphones and electronic devices for drivers younger than 18 as a primary offense and banned texting and driving for adults.
Ohio lawmakers also passed laws requiring a 3-foot buffer when passing cyclists and expanded the “move-over” slow down law to include all vehicles with flashing lights.
State lawmakers also authorized the Department of Transportation to change the speed limit on some highways based on traffic congestion, weather or other factors.
The signs are showing up on interstates in the Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland areas.