Large percentage of Ohio drivers have their licenses suspended
Courts can take away driving privileges for a wide range of infractions
A shocking percentage of eligible drivers in North Central Ohio have been forced off the road because of suspended drivers’ licenses.
Data compiled by the USA Today Network of Ohio shows that more than 15,000 who live along the U.S. 30 corridor in Ashland, Richland and Crawford counties currently have their driving privileges suspended.
Those suspensions cost a lot of money and are keeping people from living to their fullest potential, according to Adam Stone, a defense attorney who practices law in North Central Ohio.
“Depending on how many suspended licenses you’ve had in the past, you can end up going to jail,” Stone said. “That would put you even further behind.”
Ranked high in the state
Crawford County has the region’s highest rate of suspended drivers.
The county has 33,524 residents who are 16 and older. Of them, 3,596 have suspended drivers licenses.
That’s 10.73% of the county’s driving-age residents who are suspended. That percentage ranks the county 24th among the state’s 88 counties.
Richland County has a population of
97,906 who are of legal driving age, 9,385 of which have a suspended license.
The 9.59% suspension rate ranks the county 32nd in The Buckeye State.
Ashland County is home to 43,029 people who are at least 16 years old. Only 2,488 have had their license suspended.
That’s 5.78% of potential drivers who have suspensions, a percentage that ranks the county 77th in the state.
Driving privileges held ransom by courts
Attorneys said those numbers are so high because the right to drive is held ransom by the court system for many nondriving infractions.
“You don’t pay your child support, you get your license suspended,” Stone said. “You get convicted of a drug crime, you get your license suspended.”
The odds of having a suspended license are so great that nearly every case the attorney handles involves a client’s right to drive a vehicle.
“It’s one of those things I expect,” Stone said. “When I see a traffic violation, I’m looking down the list to see where they’re suspended.”
Some of his clients expect to lose their licenses for a little while, like those who have had an OVI or other major driving charge against their record. But for others, it’s a complete surprise.
“If you’re pulled over and you’re a day behind on paying your car insurance, you lose your license,” Stone said.
He’s even seen some people forget their court date for a citation, only to have their license suspended without their knowledge.
“You have to know, and you usually don’t know until you’re pulled over,” Stone said.
It costs more than $400 to get that license back, along with other fees and penalties associated with the client’s case.
“It becomes really difficult,” Stone said.
Fortunately, a judge can grant someone driving privileges for work purposes so they can pay their bills throughout their case, but the clients still must find a way to visit the city where their suspension took effect.
“The court cannot just unilaterally give someone their license back,” Stone said. “The BMV has to do that.” ztuggle@gannett.com 419-564-3508
Twitter: @zachtuggle