Receiving a speeding ticket is never fun – between fees, fines, and greater insurance costs, you’re looking at a lot more than $400. Fighting the ticket is a lot harder in Ohio. The Ohio Supreme Court decided to rule that “trained” officers can rely on visual estimates to hand out legally binding speeding tickets.
Ohio Speeding ticket and court case
A 5 to 1 decision of the Ohio Supreme Court stated that officers do not need verifiable data to issue a speeding ticket. Of course the officer must be “trained” in estimating speed. This means no radar gun, no laser measurement of speed, no paper trail to dispute – only your word against the officer’s. The supreme court of Ohio points out that this is not what they wish to see as policy, but what the constitution allows.
The actually financial reality of speeding tickets
Most small towns will use speeding tickets for a lot more than just some safety enforcement. Some cities make more than 30 percent of their spending budget from traffic enforcement. An average speeding ticket in the United States costs about $150, and increased insurance costs can run up to $300 over three years from just the first infraction. Some states even passed laws stating that cities aren’t allowed to make any more than 30 percent of their income from speeding tickets. Some states have even instituted a special system where speeding tickets can be paid for on the spot with a credit card.
Ohio speeding ticket case response
Around the world, millions criticize Ohio. The ACLU says that this case will open up Ohio to possible racial profiling, stops for no reason and civil liberty violations. To address this concern, SB 280 was introduced within the Ohio congress. Senator Tim Grendell and Senator Capri Cafaro have released a bipartisan bill to require verifiable evidence for speeding tickets.
