Car accidents are a major cause of deaths for people between the ages of five to 34 in the United States. That is why it is crucial for states to implement road safety laws that may help protect individuals from fatal injuries when accidents occur. According to a new report from Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Ohio has a long way to go in adopting important road safety laws. If a car accident harmed you or someone you love, it is vital to seek the help of a Cincinnati car accident lawyer at O'Connor, Acciani & Levy for assistance with your claim. We have a proven record of obtaining fair compensation for accident victims and can guide you every step of the way.
Breaking Down The Report
According to the 2019 Roadmap of State Highway Safety Laws Report, Ohio is one of the worst states for traffic and road safety laws. The report puts each state into one of three sections, from green to yellow to red, with green being the best and red being the worst.- Green states - These states rank best because they have between 11 and 16 of the optimal laws in effect. These include seatbelt laws, motorcycle helmet and protective gear laws, and distracted driving laws. States cannot receive a green rating if they have repealed an all-rider motorcycle helmet law in the past 10 years.
- Yellow states - These are the states with some of the optimal traffic safety laws, but less than the green states. For example, yellow states only have two of the following three laws: all-rider motorcycle helmet law, primary enforcement front seat belt law, primary enforcement rear seat belt law.
- Red states - These are the worst states for traffic safety laws, as they have fewer than seven recommended laws in effect. Ohio is considered a red state with only five of the recommended laws in place.
Car Accident Statistics In Ohio
Between 2013 and 2017, 2013 was the only year Ohio had less than 1,000 traffic accident fatalities. Just under 1,200 people died in traffic accidents in 2017. Of these deaths, 145 were pedestrians. Over 400 individuals were not wearing seatbelts when involved in a fatal accident. 2016 was the only year less than 100 people died in heavy truck-related accidents.Laws Ohio Needs To Improve Road Safety
Ohio is missing numerous laws that can protect drivers, passengers and children on the roads. These include the following:- Motorcycle helmet laws – Green states have laws requiring all motorcycle riders to wear helmets. Motorcycle riders who do not wear a helmet run the risk of traumatic brain injury and other head injuries that could jeopardize their lives.
- Front and rear seatbelt laws – Green states require all occupants to wear a seat belt and allow police to stop and ticket drivers solely for not wearing a seat belt. Seat belts can stop a person from suffering additional injury in a crash by preventing him or her from moving forward or hitting objects in the vehicle.
- Mandating rear-facing child safety seats through age two - Placing children who are under the age of three in a rear-facing child safety seat can help prevent serious injury or death in an accident.
- Requiring booster seats for children under the age of eight
- Increasing the minimum age for obtaining a learners’ permit to 16
- Only allowing drivers to have unrestricted licenses at age 18 and requiring nighttime driving restrictions until that age
- Text-messaging restriction for all drivers, except for emergencies
