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I’m a highway patrol cop – a new law lets me pull drivers over for an activity I see behind the wheel every day

OHIO legislatures have passed a new distracted driving law, prohibiting cell phone use while driving.

The new driving law, going into effect on April 4, lowers the threshold for officers to make a traffic stop if they think a driver is distracted by an electronic device.

Police in Ohio can now use

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Police in Ohio can now use “probable cause” to justify a police stopCredit: Getty
Sergeant Ryan Purpura of the Ohio Highway Police spoke about the new law

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Sergeant Ryan Purpura of the Ohio Highway Police spoke about the new lawCredit: WTOL11

“You can’t hold your cell phone in your hand, you can’t talk on speaker phone, you can’t use your body to support that device and talk on the phone, you cannot put any manual input, no texting, no entering a phone number,” Sergeant Ryan Purpura said to WDTN.

The Ohio law was passed after distracted driving caused a reported 62,000 crashes since 2018 in the state.

Under the law, officers are permitted to stop drivers with “probable cause” of electronic use.

“Probable cause” allows police discretion to assess their belief that a crime has been committed.

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The law doesn’t outlaw the use of mobile phones held to the head while driving, electronics use during an emergency, or when cars are fully stopped.

“Signing this bill today is a great honor because this legislation will, without a doubt, prevent crashes and save lives,” Republican Ohio governor, Mike DeWine said in a statement.

“Right now, too many people are willing to risk their lives while behind the wheel to get a look at their phones.

“My hope is that this legislation will prompt a cultural shift around distracted driving that normalizes the fact that distracted driving is dangerous, irresponsible, and just as deadly as driving drunk.”

After the law is in effect, officers will give drivers a six-month grace period to educate the public about the new rules.

After the grace period, drivers disobeying the law will be fined $150 and two points on their license for their first infraction.

Fines and penalties will increase for repeat offenders.

According to the CDC, sending one text message while driving at 55 miles per hour is equivalent to blindly driving the length of a football field.

The agency attributes 3,100 accident deaths and 424,000 injuries in 2019 to distracted driving.

The Governors Highway Safety Association also points out that distracted drivers pose a threat to people who aren’t driving.

In 2022, pedestrian deaths surged to 3,434, a 60 percent increase since 2013.

The Ohio law is part of a spate of new highway laws passed in the United States to keep roads safe.

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