Bill Text: OH HB172 | 2013-2014 | 130th General Assembly | Comm Sub
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: That is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2017.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-06-26 - To Transportation [HB172 Detail]
Download: Ohio-2013-HB172-Comm_Sub.html
As Reported by the House Transportation, Public Safety, and Homeland Security Committee
A BILL
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Bill Title: That is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2017.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-06-26 - To Transportation [HB172 Detail]
Download: Ohio-2013-HB172-Comm_Sub.html
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Representatives Ruhl, McGregor
Cosponsors:
Representatives Cera, Mallory, McClain, Landis, Williams
To amend sections 4511.01, 4511.04, 4511.213, and | 1 |
4513.17 to require motor vehicle operators to take | 2 |
certain actions upon approaching a highway | 3 |
maintenance vehicle and to repeal the version of | 4 |
section 4511.01 of the Revised Code that is | 5 |
scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2017. | 6 |
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 4511.01, 4511.04, 4511.213, and | 7 |
4513.17 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows: | 8 |
Sec. 4511.01. As used in this chapter and in Chapter 4513. | 9 |
of the Revised Code: | 10 |
(A) "Vehicle" means every device, including a motorized | 11 |
bicycle, in, upon, or by which any person or property may be | 12 |
transported or drawn upon a highway, except that "vehicle" does | 13 |
not include any motorized wheelchair, any electric personal | 14 |
assistive mobility device, any device that is moved by power | 15 |
collected from overhead electric trolley wires or that is used | 16 |
exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks, or any device, other | 17 |
than a bicycle, that is moved by human power. | 18 |
(B) "Motor vehicle" means every vehicle propelled or drawn by | 19 |
power other than muscular power or power collected from overhead | 20 |
electric trolley wires, except motorized bicycles, road rollers, | 21 |
traction engines, power shovels, power cranes, and other equipment | 22 |
used in construction work and not designed for or employed in | 23 |
general highway transportation, hole-digging machinery, | 24 |
well-drilling machinery, ditch-digging machinery, farm machinery, | 25 |
and trailers designed and used exclusively to transport a boat | 26 |
between a place of storage and a marina, or in and around a | 27 |
marina, when drawn or towed on a street or highway for a distance | 28 |
of no more than ten miles and at a speed of twenty-five miles per | 29 |
hour or less. | 30 |
(C)(1) Until January 1, 2017, " | 31 |
every motor vehicle, other than a tractor, having a seat or saddle | 32 |
for the use of the operator and designed to travel on not more | 33 |
than three wheels in contact with the ground, including, but not | 34 |
limited to, motor vehicles known as "motor-driven cycle," "motor | 35 |
scooter," or "motorcycle" without regard to weight or brake | 36 |
horsepower. | 37 |
(2) Effective January 1, 2017, "motorcycle" means every motor | 38 |
vehicle, other than a tractor, having a seat or saddle for the use | 39 |
of the operator and designed to travel on not more than three | 40 |
wheels in contact with the ground, including, but not limited to, | 41 |
motor vehicles known as "motor-driven cycle," "motor scooter," | 42 |
"cab-enclosed motorcycle," or "motorcycle" without regard to | 43 |
weight or brake horsepower. | 44 |
(D) "Emergency vehicle" means emergency vehicles of | 45 |
municipal, township, or county departments or public utility | 46 |
corporations when identified as such as required by law, the | 47 |
director of public safety, or local authorities, and motor | 48 |
vehicles when commandeered by a police officer. | 49 |
(E) "Public safety vehicle" means any of the following: | 50 |
(1) Ambulances, including private ambulance companies under | 51 |
contract to a municipal corporation, township, or county, and | 52 |
private ambulances and nontransport vehicles bearing license | 53 |
plates issued under section 4503.49 of the Revised Code; | 54 |
(2) Motor vehicles used by public law enforcement officers or | 55 |
other persons sworn to enforce the criminal and traffic laws of | 56 |
the state; | 57 |
(3) Any motor vehicle when properly identified as required by | 58 |
the director of public safety, when used in response to fire | 59 |
emergency calls or to provide emergency medical service to ill or | 60 |
injured persons, and when operated by a duly qualified person who | 61 |
is a member of a volunteer rescue service or a volunteer fire | 62 |
department, and who is on duty pursuant to the rules or directives | 63 |
of that service. The state fire marshal shall be designated by the | 64 |
director of public safety as the certifying agency for all public | 65 |
safety vehicles described in division (E)(3) of this section. | 66 |
(4) Vehicles used by fire departments, including motor | 67 |
vehicles when used by volunteer fire fighters responding to | 68 |
emergency calls in the fire department service when identified as | 69 |
required by the director of public safety. | 70 |
Any vehicle used to transport or provide emergency medical | 71 |
service to an ill or injured person, when certified as a public | 72 |
safety vehicle, shall be considered a public safety vehicle when | 73 |
transporting an ill or injured person to a hospital regardless of | 74 |
whether such vehicle has already passed a hospital. | 75 |
(5) Vehicles used by the motor carrier enforcement unit for | 76 |
the enforcement of orders and rules of the public utilities | 77 |
commission as specified in section 5503.34 of the Revised Code. | 78 |
(F) "School bus" means every bus designed for carrying more | 79 |
than nine passengers that is owned by a public, private, or | 80 |
governmental agency or institution of learning and operated for | 81 |
the transportation of children to or from a school session or a | 82 |
school function, or owned by a private person and operated for | 83 |
compensation for the transportation of children to or from a | 84 |
school session or a school function, provided "school bus" does | 85 |
not include a bus operated by a municipally owned transportation | 86 |
system, a mass transit company operating exclusively within the | 87 |
territorial limits of a municipal corporation, or within such | 88 |
limits and the territorial limits of municipal corporations | 89 |
immediately contiguous to such municipal corporation, nor a common | 90 |
passenger carrier certified by the public utilities commission | 91 |
unless such bus is devoted exclusively to the transportation of | 92 |
children to and from a school session or a school function, and | 93 |
"school bus" does not include a van or bus used by a licensed | 94 |
child day-care center or type A family day-care home to transport | 95 |
children from the child day-care center or type A family day-care | 96 |
home to a school if the van or bus does not have more than fifteen | 97 |
children in the van or bus at any time. | 98 |
(G) "Bicycle" means every device, other than a device that is | 99 |
designed solely for use as a play vehicle by a child, that is | 100 |
propelled solely by human power upon which a person may ride, and | 101 |
that has two or more wheels, any of which is more than fourteen | 102 |
inches in diameter. | 103 |
(H)(1) Until January 1, 2017, " | 104 |
means any vehicle having either two tandem wheels or one wheel in | 105 |
the front and two wheels in the rear, that is capable of being | 106 |
pedaled and is equipped with a helper motor of not more than fifty | 107 |
cubic centimeters piston displacement that produces no more than | 108 |
one brake horsepower and is capable of propelling the vehicle at a | 109 |
speed of no greater than twenty miles per hour on a level surface. | 110 |
(2) Effective January 1, 2017, "motorized bicycle" or "moped" | 111 |
means any vehicle having either two tandem wheels or one wheel in | 112 |
the front and two wheels in the rear, that may be pedaled, and | 113 |
that is equipped with a helper motor of not more than fifty cubic | 114 |
centimeters piston displacement that produces not more than one | 115 |
brake horsepower and is capable of propelling the vehicle at a | 116 |
speed of not greater than twenty miles per hour on a level | 117 |
surface. | 118 |
(I) "Commercial tractor" means every motor vehicle having | 119 |
motive power designed or used for drawing other vehicles and not | 120 |
so constructed as to carry any load thereon, or designed or used | 121 |
for drawing other vehicles while carrying a portion of such other | 122 |
vehicles, or load thereon, or both. | 123 |
(J) "Agricultural tractor" means every self-propelling | 124 |
vehicle designed or used for drawing other vehicles or wheeled | 125 |
machinery but having no provision for carrying loads independently | 126 |
of such other vehicles, and used principally for agricultural | 127 |
purposes. | 128 |
(K) "Truck" means every motor vehicle, except trailers and | 129 |
semitrailers, designed and used to carry property. | 130 |
(L) "Bus" means every motor vehicle designed for carrying | 131 |
more than nine passengers and used for the transportation of | 132 |
persons other than in a ridesharing arrangement, and every motor | 133 |
vehicle, automobile for hire, or funeral car, other than a taxicab | 134 |
or motor vehicle used in a ridesharing arrangement, designed and | 135 |
used for the transportation of persons for compensation. | 136 |
(M) "Trailer" means every vehicle designed or used for | 137 |
carrying persons or property wholly on its own structure and for | 138 |
being drawn by a motor vehicle, including any such vehicle when | 139 |
formed by or operated as a combination of a "semitrailer" and a | 140 |
vehicle of the dolly type, such as that commonly known as a | 141 |
"trailer dolly," a vehicle used to transport agricultural produce | 142 |
or agricultural production materials between a local place of | 143 |
storage or supply and the farm when drawn or towed on a street or | 144 |
highway at a speed greater than twenty-five miles per hour, and a | 145 |
vehicle designed and used exclusively to transport a boat between | 146 |
a place of storage and a marina, or in and around a marina, when | 147 |
drawn or towed on a street or highway for a distance of more than | 148 |
ten miles or at a speed of more than twenty-five miles per hour. | 149 |
(N) "Semitrailer" means every vehicle designed or used for | 150 |
carrying persons or property with another and separate motor | 151 |
vehicle so that in operation a part of its own weight or that of | 152 |
its load, or both, rests upon and is carried by another vehicle. | 153 |
(O) "Pole trailer" means every trailer or semitrailer | 154 |
attached to the towing vehicle by means of a reach, pole, or by | 155 |
being boomed or otherwise secured to the towing vehicle, and | 156 |
ordinarily used for transporting long or irregular shaped loads | 157 |
such as poles, pipes, or structural members capable, generally, of | 158 |
sustaining themselves as beams between the supporting connections. | 159 |
(P) "Railroad" means a carrier of persons or property | 160 |
operating upon rails placed principally on a private right-of-way. | 161 |
(Q) "Railroad train" means a steam engine or an electric or | 162 |
other motor, with or without cars coupled thereto, operated by a | 163 |
railroad. | 164 |
(R) "Streetcar" means a car, other than a railroad train, for | 165 |
transporting persons or property, operated upon rails principally | 166 |
within a street or highway. | 167 |
(S) "Trackless trolley" means every car that collects its | 168 |
power from overhead electric trolley wires and that is not | 169 |
operated upon rails or tracks. | 170 |
(T) "Explosives" means any chemical compound or mechanical | 171 |
mixture that is intended for the purpose of producing an explosion | 172 |
that contains any oxidizing and combustible units or other | 173 |
ingredients in such proportions, quantities, or packing that an | 174 |
ignition by fire, by friction, by concussion, by percussion, or by | 175 |
a detonator of any part of the compound or mixture may cause such | 176 |
a sudden generation of highly heated gases that the resultant | 177 |
gaseous pressures are capable of producing destructive effects on | 178 |
contiguous objects, or of destroying life or limb. Manufactured | 179 |
articles shall not be held to be explosives when the individual | 180 |
units contain explosives in such limited quantities, of such | 181 |
nature, or in such packing, that it is impossible to procure a | 182 |
simultaneous or a destructive explosion of such units, to the | 183 |
injury of life, limb, or property by fire, by friction, by | 184 |
concussion, by percussion, or by a detonator, such as fixed | 185 |
ammunition for small arms, firecrackers, or safety fuse matches. | 186 |
(U) "Flammable liquid" means any liquid that has a flash | 187 |
point of seventy degrees fahrenheit, or less, as determined by a | 188 |
tagliabue or equivalent closed cup test device. | 189 |
(V) "Gross weight" means the weight of a vehicle plus the | 190 |
weight of any load thereon. | 191 |
(W) "Person" means every natural person, firm, | 192 |
co-partnership, association, or corporation. | 193 |
(X) "Pedestrian" means any natural person afoot. | 194 |
(Y) "Driver or operator" means every person who drives or is | 195 |
in actual physical control of a vehicle, trackless trolley, or | 196 |
streetcar. | 197 |
(Z) "Police officer" means every officer authorized to direct | 198 |
or regulate traffic, or to make arrests for violations of traffic | 199 |
regulations. | 200 |
(AA) "Local authorities" means every county, municipal, and | 201 |
other local board or body having authority to adopt police | 202 |
regulations under the constitution and laws of this state. | 203 |
(BB) "Street" or "highway" means the entire width between the | 204 |
boundary lines of every way open to the use of the public as a | 205 |
thoroughfare for purposes of vehicular travel. | 206 |
(CC) "Controlled-access highway" means every street or | 207 |
highway in respect to which owners or occupants of abutting lands | 208 |
and other persons have no legal right of access to or from the | 209 |
same except at such points only and in such manner as may be | 210 |
determined by the public authority having jurisdiction over such | 211 |
street or highway. | 212 |
(DD) "Private road or driveway" means every way or place in | 213 |
private ownership used for vehicular travel by the owner and those | 214 |
having express or implied permission from the owner but not by | 215 |
other persons. | 216 |
(EE) "Roadway" means that portion of a highway improved, | 217 |
designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, except the berm | 218 |
or shoulder. If a highway includes two or more separate roadways | 219 |
the term "roadway" means any such roadway separately but not all | 220 |
such roadways collectively. | 221 |
(FF) "Sidewalk" means that portion of a street between the | 222 |
curb lines, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and the adjacent | 223 |
property lines, intended for the use of pedestrians. | 224 |
(GG) "Laned highway" means a highway the roadway of which is | 225 |
divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for vehicular | 226 |
traffic. | 227 |
(HH) "Through highway" means every street or highway as | 228 |
provided in section 4511.65 of the Revised Code. | 229 |
(II) "State highway" means a highway under the jurisdiction | 230 |
of the department of transportation, outside the limits of | 231 |
municipal corporations, provided that the authority conferred upon | 232 |
the director of transportation in section 5511.01 of the Revised | 233 |
Code to erect state highway route markers and signs directing | 234 |
traffic shall not be modified by sections 4511.01 to 4511.79 and | 235 |
4511.99 of the Revised Code. | 236 |
(JJ) "State route" means every highway that is designated | 237 |
with an official state route number and so marked. | 238 |
(KK) "Intersection" means: | 239 |
(1) The area embraced within the prolongation or connection | 240 |
of the lateral curb lines, or, if none, the lateral boundary lines | 241 |
of the roadways of two highways that join one another at, or | 242 |
approximately at, right angles, or the area within which vehicles | 243 |
traveling upon different highways that join at any other angle | 244 |
might come into conflict. The junction of an alley or driveway | 245 |
with a roadway or highway does not constitute an intersection | 246 |
unless the roadway or highway at the junction is controlled by a | 247 |
traffic control device. | 248 |
(2) If a highway includes two roadways that are thirty feet | 249 |
or more apart, then every crossing of each roadway of such divided | 250 |
highway by an intersecting highway constitutes a separate | 251 |
intersection. If both intersecting highways include two roadways | 252 |
thirty feet or more apart, then every crossing of any two roadways | 253 |
of such highways constitutes a separate intersection. | 254 |
(3) At a location controlled by a traffic control signal, | 255 |
regardless of the distance between the separate intersections as | 256 |
described in division (KK)(2) of this section: | 257 |
(a) If a stop line, yield line, or crosswalk has not been | 258 |
designated on the roadway within the median between the separate | 259 |
intersections, the two intersections and the roadway and median | 260 |
constitute one intersection. | 261 |
(b) Where a stop line, yield line, or crosswalk line is | 262 |
designated on the roadway on the intersection approach, the area | 263 |
within the crosswalk and any area beyond the designated stop line | 264 |
or yield line constitute part of the intersection. | 265 |
(c) Where a crosswalk is designated on a roadway on the | 266 |
departure from the intersection, the intersection includes the | 267 |
area that extends to the far side of the crosswalk. | 268 |
(LL) "Crosswalk" means: | 269 |
(1) That part of a roadway at intersections ordinarily | 270 |
included within the real or projected prolongation of property | 271 |
lines and curb lines or, in the absence of curbs, the edges of the | 272 |
traversable roadway; | 273 |
(2) Any portion of a roadway at an intersection or elsewhere, | 274 |
distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other | 275 |
markings on the surface; | 276 |
(3) Notwithstanding divisions (LL)(1) and (2) of this | 277 |
section, there shall not be a crosswalk where local authorities | 278 |
have placed signs indicating no crossing. | 279 |
(MM) "Safety zone" means the area or space officially set | 280 |
apart within a roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and | 281 |
protected or marked or indicated by adequate signs as to be | 282 |
plainly visible at all times. | 283 |
(NN) "Business district" means the territory fronting upon a | 284 |
street or highway, including the street or highway, between | 285 |
successive intersections within municipal corporations where fifty | 286 |
per cent or more of the frontage between such successive | 287 |
intersections is occupied by buildings in use for business, or | 288 |
within or outside municipal corporations where fifty per cent or | 289 |
more of the frontage for a distance of three hundred feet or more | 290 |
is occupied by buildings in use for business, and the character of | 291 |
such territory is indicated by official traffic control devices. | 292 |
(OO) "Residence district" means the territory, not comprising | 293 |
a business district, fronting on a street or highway, including | 294 |
the street or highway, where, for a distance of three hundred feet | 295 |
or more, the frontage is improved with residences or residences | 296 |
and buildings in use for business. | 297 |
(PP) "Urban district" means the territory contiguous to and | 298 |
including any street or highway which is built up with structures | 299 |
devoted to business, industry, or dwelling houses situated at | 300 |
intervals of less than one hundred feet for a distance of a | 301 |
quarter of a mile or more, and the character of such territory is | 302 |
indicated by official traffic control devices. | 303 |
(QQ) "Traffic control device" means a flagger, sign, signal, | 304 |
marking, or other device used to regulate, warn, or guide traffic, | 305 |
placed on, over, or adjacent to a street, highway, private road | 306 |
open to public travel, pedestrian facility, or shared-use path by | 307 |
authority of a public agency or official having jurisdiction, or, | 308 |
in the case of a private road open to public travel, by authority | 309 |
of the private owner or private official having jurisdiction. | 310 |
(RR) "Traffic control signal" means any highway traffic | 311 |
signal by which traffic is alternately directed to stop and | 312 |
permitted to proceed. | 313 |
(SS) "Railroad sign or signal" means any sign, signal, or | 314 |
device erected by authority of a public body or official or by a | 315 |
railroad and intended to give notice of the presence of railroad | 316 |
tracks or the approach of a railroad train. | 317 |
(TT) "Traffic" means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, | 318 |
vehicles, streetcars, trackless trolleys, and other devices, | 319 |
either singly or together, while using for purposes of travel any | 320 |
highway or private road open to public travel. | 321 |
(UU) "Right-of-way" means either of the following, as the | 322 |
context requires: | 323 |
(1) The right of a vehicle, streetcar, trackless trolley, or | 324 |
pedestrian to proceed uninterruptedly in a lawful manner in the | 325 |
direction in which it or the individual is moving in preference to | 326 |
another vehicle, streetcar, trackless trolley, or pedestrian | 327 |
approaching from a different direction into its or the | 328 |
individual's path; | 329 |
(2) A general term denoting land, property, or the interest | 330 |
therein, usually in the configuration of a strip, acquired for or | 331 |
devoted to transportation purposes. When used in this context, | 332 |
right-of-way includes the roadway, shoulders or berm, ditch, and | 333 |
slopes extending to the right-of-way limits under the control of | 334 |
the state or local authority. | 335 |
(VV) "Rural mail delivery vehicle" means every vehicle used | 336 |
to deliver United States mail on a rural mail delivery route. | 337 |
(WW) "Funeral escort vehicle" means any motor vehicle, | 338 |
including a funeral hearse, while used to facilitate the movement | 339 |
of a funeral procession. | 340 |
(XX) "Alley" means a street or highway intended to provide | 341 |
access to the rear or side of lots or buildings in urban districts | 342 |
and not intended for the purpose of through vehicular traffic, and | 343 |
includes any street or highway that has been declared an "alley" | 344 |
by the legislative authority of the municipal corporation in which | 345 |
such street or highway is located. | 346 |
(YY) "Freeway" means a divided multi-lane highway for through | 347 |
traffic with all crossroads separated in grade and with full | 348 |
control of access. | 349 |
(ZZ) "Expressway" means a divided arterial highway for | 350 |
through traffic with full or partial control of access with an | 351 |
excess of fifty per cent of all crossroads separated in grade. | 352 |
(AAA) "Thruway" means a through highway whose entire roadway | 353 |
is reserved for through traffic and on which roadway parking is | 354 |
prohibited. | 355 |
(BBB) "Stop intersection" means any intersection at one or | 356 |
more entrances of which stop signs are erected. | 357 |
(CCC) "Arterial street" means any United States or state | 358 |
numbered route, controlled access highway, or other major radial | 359 |
or circumferential street or highway designated by local | 360 |
authorities within their respective jurisdictions as part of a | 361 |
major arterial system of streets or highways. | 362 |
(DDD) "Ridesharing arrangement" means the transportation of | 363 |
persons in a motor vehicle where such transportation is incidental | 364 |
to another purpose of a volunteer driver and includes ridesharing | 365 |
arrangements known as carpools, vanpools, and buspools. | 366 |
(EEE) "Motorized wheelchair" means any self-propelled vehicle | 367 |
designed for, and used by, a handicapped person and that is | 368 |
incapable of a speed in excess of eight miles per hour. | 369 |
(FFF) "Child day-care center" and "type A family day-care | 370 |
home" have the same meanings as in section 5104.01 of the Revised | 371 |
Code. | 372 |
(GGG) "Multi-wheel agricultural tractor" means a type of | 373 |
agricultural tractor that has two or more wheels or tires on each | 374 |
side of one axle at the rear of the tractor, is designed or used | 375 |
for drawing other vehicles or wheeled machinery, has no provision | 376 |
for carrying loads independently of the drawn vehicles or | 377 |
machinery, and is used principally for agricultural purposes. | 378 |
(HHH) "Operate" means to cause or have caused movement of a | 379 |
vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley. | 380 |
(III) "Predicate motor vehicle or traffic offense" means any | 381 |
of the following: | 382 |
(1) A violation of section 4511.03, 4511.051, 4511.12, | 383 |
4511.132, 4511.16, 4511.20, 4511.201, 4511.21, 4511.211, 4511.213, | 384 |
4511.22, 4511.23, 4511.25, 4511.26, 4511.27, 4511.28, 4511.29, | 385 |
4511.30, 4511.31, 4511.32, 4511.33, 4511.34, 4511.35, 4511.36, | 386 |
4511.37, 4511.38, 4511.39, 4511.40, 4511.41, 4511.42, 4511.43, | 387 |
4511.431, 4511.432, 4511.44, 4511.441, 4511.451, 4511.452, | 388 |
4511.46, 4511.47, 4511.48, 4511.481, 4511.49, 4511.50, 4511.511, | 389 |
4511.53, 4511.54, 4511.55, 4511.56, 4511.57, 4511.58, 4511.59, | 390 |
4511.60, 4511.61, 4511.64, 4511.66, 4511.661, 4511.68, 4511.70, | 391 |
4511.701, 4511.71, 4511.711, 4511.712, 4511.713, 4511.72, 4511.73, | 392 |
4511.763, 4511.771, 4511.78, or 4511.84 of the Revised Code; | 393 |
(2) A violation of division (A)(2) of section 4511.17, | 394 |
divisions (A) to (D) of section 4511.51, or division (A) of | 395 |
section 4511.74 of the Revised Code; | 396 |
(3) A violation of any provision of sections 4511.01 to | 397 |
4511.76 of the Revised Code for which no penalty otherwise is | 398 |
provided in the section that contains the provision violated; | 399 |
(4) | 400 |
ordinance that is substantially similar to any section or | 401 |
provision set forth or described in division (III)(1), (2), or (3) | 402 |
of this section; | 403 |
(5) Effective January 1, 2017, a violation of section | 404 |
4511.214 of the Revised Code; | 405 |
(6) Effective January 1, 2017, a violation of a municipal | 406 |
ordinance that is substantially similar to any section or | 407 |
provision set forth or described in division (III) (1), (2), (3), | 408 |
or (5) of this section. | 409 |
(JJJ) "Road service vehicle" means wreckers, utility repair | 410 |
vehicles, and state, county, and municipal service vehicles | 411 |
equipped with visual signals by means of flashing, rotating, or | 412 |
oscillating lights. | 413 |
(KKK) "Beacon" means a highway traffic signal with one or | 414 |
more signal sections that operate in a flashing mode. | 415 |
(LLL) "Hybrid beacon" means a type of beacon that is | 416 |
intentionally placed in a dark mode between periods of operation | 417 |
where no indications are displayed and, when in operation, | 418 |
displays both steady and flashing traffic control signal | 419 |
indications. | 420 |
(MMM) "Highway traffic signal" means a power-operated traffic | 421 |
control device by which traffic is warned or directed to take some | 422 |
specific action. "Highway traffic signal" does not include a | 423 |
power-operated sign, steadily illuminated pavement marker, warning | 424 |
light, or steady burning electric lamp. | 425 |
(NNN) "Median" means the area between two roadways of a | 426 |
divided highway, measured from edge of traveled way to edge of | 427 |
traveled way, but excluding turn lanes. The width of a median may | 428 |
be different between intersections, between interchanges, and at | 429 |
opposite approaches of the same intersection. | 430 |
(OOO) "Private road open to public travel" means a private | 431 |
toll road or road, including any adjacent sidewalks that generally | 432 |
run parallel to the road, within a shopping center, airport, | 433 |
sports arena, or other similar business or recreation facility | 434 |
that is privately owned but where the public is allowed to travel | 435 |
without access restrictions. "Private road open to public travel" | 436 |
includes a gated toll road but does not include a road within a | 437 |
private gated property where access is restricted at all times, a | 438 |
parking area, a driving aisle within a parking area, or a private | 439 |
grade crossing. | 440 |
(PPP) "Shared-use path" means a bikeway outside the traveled | 441 |
way and physically separated from motorized vehicular traffic by | 442 |
an open space or barrier and either within the highway | 443 |
right-of-way or within an independent alignment. A shared-use path | 444 |
also may be used by pedestrians, including skaters, joggers, users | 445 |
of manual and motorized wheelchairs, and other authorized | 446 |
motorized and non-motorized users. | 447 |
(QQQ) "Highway maintenance vehicle" means a vehicle used in | 448 |
snow and ice removal or road surface maintenance, including a snow | 449 |
plow, traffic line striper, road sweeper, mowing machine, asphalt | 450 |
distributing vehicle, or other such vehicle designed for use in | 451 |
specific highway maintenance activities. | 452 |
Sec. 4511.04. (A) Sections 4511.01 to 4511.18, 4511.20 to | 453 |
4511.78, 4511.99, and 4513.01 to 4513.37 of the Revised Code do | 454 |
not apply to persons, teams, motor vehicles, and other equipment | 455 |
while actually engaged in work upon the surface of a highway | 456 |
within an area designated by traffic control devices, but apply to | 457 |
such persons and vehicles when traveling to or from such work. | 458 |
(B) The driver of a highway maintenance vehicle owned by this | 459 |
state or any political subdivision of this state, while the driver | 460 |
is engaged in the performance of official duties upon a street or | 461 |
highway, provided the highway maintenance vehicle is equipped with | 462 |
flashing lights and such other markings as are required by law and | 463 |
such lights are in operation when the driver and vehicle are so | 464 |
engaged, shall be exempt from criminal prosecution for violations | 465 |
of sections 4511.22, 4511.25, 4511.26, 4511.27, 4511.28, 4511.30, | 466 |
4511.31, 4511.33, 4511.35, 4511.66, 4513.02, and 5577.01 to | 467 |
5577.09 of the Revised Code. | 468 |
(C)(1) This section does not exempt a driver of a highway | 469 |
maintenance vehicle from civil liability arising from a violation | 470 |
of section 4511.22, 4511.25, 4511.26, 4511.27, 4511.28, 4511.30, | 471 |
4511.31, 4511.33, 4511.35, 4511.66, or 4513.02 or sections 5577.01 | 472 |
to 5577.09 of the Revised Code. | 473 |
(2) This section does not exempt the driver of a vehicle that | 474 |
is engaged in the transport of highway maintenance equipment from | 475 |
criminal liability for a violation of sections 5577.01 to 5577.09 | 476 |
of the Revised Code. | 477 |
| 478 |
479 | |
480 | |
481 | |
482 | |
483 |
Sec. 4511.213. (A) The driver of a motor vehicle, upon | 484 |
approaching a stationary public safety vehicle, | 485 |
vehicle, | 486 |
vehicle that is displaying the appropriate visual signals by means | 487 |
of flashing, oscillating, or rotating lights, as prescribed in | 488 |
section 4513.17 of the Revised Code, shall do either of the | 489 |
following: | 490 |
(1) If the driver of the motor vehicle is traveling on a | 491 |
highway that consists of at least two lanes that carry traffic in | 492 |
the same direction of travel as that of the driver's motor | 493 |
vehicle, the driver shall proceed with due caution and, if | 494 |
possible and with due regard to the road, weather, and traffic | 495 |
conditions, shall change lanes into a lane that is not adjacent to | 496 |
that of the stationary public safety vehicle, | 497 |
vehicle, | 498 |
vehicle. | 499 |
(2) If the driver is not traveling on a highway of a type | 500 |
described in division (A)(1) of this section, or if the driver is | 501 |
traveling on a highway of that type but it is not possible to | 502 |
change lanes or if to do so would be unsafe, the driver shall | 503 |
proceed with due caution, reduce the speed of the motor vehicle, | 504 |
and maintain a safe speed for the road, weather, and traffic | 505 |
conditions. | 506 |
(B) This section does not relieve the driver of a public | 507 |
safety vehicle, | 508 |
or a highway maintenance vehicle from the duty to drive with due | 509 |
regard for the safety of all persons and property upon the | 510 |
highway. | 511 |
(C) No person shall fail to drive a motor vehicle in | 512 |
compliance with division (A)(1) or (2) of this section when so | 513 |
required by division (A) of this section. | 514 |
(D)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this division, whoever | 515 |
violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. If, within | 516 |
one year of the offense, the offender previously has been | 517 |
convicted of or pleaded guilty to one predicate motor vehicle or | 518 |
traffic offense, whoever violates this section is guilty of a | 519 |
misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If, within one year of the | 520 |
offense, the offender previously has been convicted of two or more | 521 |
predicate motor vehicle or traffic offenses, whoever violates this | 522 |
section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree. | 523 |
(2) Notwithstanding section 2929.28 of the Revised Code, upon | 524 |
a finding that a person operated a motor vehicle in violation of | 525 |
division (C) of this section, the court, in addition to all other | 526 |
penalties provided by law, shall impose a fine of two times the | 527 |
usual amount imposed for the violation. | 528 |
Sec. 4513.17. (A) Whenever a motor vehicle equipped with | 529 |
headlights also is equipped with any auxiliary lights or spotlight | 530 |
or any other light on the front thereof projecting a beam of an | 531 |
intensity greater than three hundred candle power, not more than a | 532 |
total of five of any such lights on the front of a vehicle shall | 533 |
be lighted at any one time when the vehicle is upon a highway. | 534 |
(B) Any lighted light or illuminating device upon a motor | 535 |
vehicle, other than headlights, spotlights, signal lights, or | 536 |
auxiliary driving lights, that projects a beam of light of an | 537 |
intensity greater than three hundred candle power, shall be so | 538 |
directed that no part of the beam will strike the level of the | 539 |
roadway on which the vehicle stands at a distance of more than | 540 |
seventy-five feet from the vehicle. | 541 |
(C)(1) Flashing lights are prohibited on motor vehicles, | 542 |
except as a means for indicating a right or a left turn, or in the | 543 |
presence of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring unusual care in | 544 |
approaching, or overtaking or passing. This prohibition does not | 545 |
apply to emergency vehicles, road service vehicles servicing or | 546 |
towing a disabled vehicle, | 547 |
rural mail delivery vehicles, vehicles as provided in section | 548 |
4513.182 of the Revised Code, | 549 |
maintenance vehicles, funeral hearses, funeral escort vehicles, | 550 |
and similar equipment operated by the department or local | 551 |
authorities, which shall be equipped with and display, when used | 552 |
on a street or highway for the special purpose necessitating such | 553 |
lights, a flashing, oscillating, or rotating amber light, but | 554 |
shall not display a flashing, oscillating, or rotating light of | 555 |
any other color, nor to vehicles or machinery permitted by section | 556 |
4513.11 of the Revised Code to have a flashing red light. | 557 |
(2) When used on a street or highway, farm machinery and | 558 |
vehicles escorting farm machinery may be equipped with and display | 559 |
a flashing, oscillating, or rotating amber light, and the | 560 |
prohibition contained in division (C)(1) of this section does not | 561 |
apply to such machinery or vehicles. Farm machinery also may | 562 |
display the lights described in section 4513.11 of the Revised | 563 |
Code. | 564 |
(D) Except a person operating a public safety vehicle, as | 565 |
defined in division (E) of section 4511.01 of the Revised Code, or | 566 |
a school bus, no person shall operate, move, or park upon, or | 567 |
permit to stand within the right-of-way of any public street or | 568 |
highway any vehicle or equipment that is equipped with and | 569 |
displaying a flashing red or a flashing combination red and white | 570 |
light, or an oscillating or rotating red light, or a combination | 571 |
red and white oscillating or rotating light; and except a public | 572 |
law enforcement officer, or other person sworn to enforce the | 573 |
criminal and traffic laws of the state, operating a public safety | 574 |
vehicle when on duty, no person shall operate, move, or park upon, | 575 |
or permit to stand within the right-of-way of any street or | 576 |
highway any vehicle or equipment that is equipped with, or upon | 577 |
which is mounted, and displaying a flashing blue or a flashing | 578 |
combination blue and white light, or an oscillating or rotating | 579 |
blue light, or a combination blue and white oscillating or | 580 |
rotating light. | 581 |
(E) This section does not prohibit the use of warning lights | 582 |
required by law or the simultaneous flashing of turn signals on | 583 |
disabled vehicles or on vehicles being operated in unfavorable | 584 |
atmospheric conditions in order to enhance their visibility. This | 585 |
section also does not prohibit the simultaneous flashing of turn | 586 |
signals or warning lights either on farm machinery or vehicles | 587 |
escorting farm machinery, when used on a street or highway. | 588 |
(F) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor | 589 |
misdemeanor. | 590 |
Section 2. That existing sections 4511.01, 4511.04, | 591 |
4511.213, and 4513.17 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed. | 592 |
Section 3. That the version of section 4511.01 of the | 593 |
Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2017, | 594 |
is hereby repealed. | 595 |