New phone rules are in effect

FORT RECOVERY — Phones down. It’s the law.

That’s the message Ohio officials are sharing with their residents.

Fort Recovery police chief Jared Laux reminded Fort Recovery Village Council members Monday that changes to Ohio’s distracted driving law went into effect today. The updates — they were part of House Bill 283, later part of Senate Bill 288, and signed by Gov. Mike DeWine in January — make it illegal to use or hold a cell phone or electronic device while driving in most circumstances.

According to a press release from DeWine’s office, violations are considered a “primary traffic offense for all drivers and allows law enforcement to immediately pull over a distracted driver upon witnessing a violation.”

(The previous law stipulated distracted driving as a primary offense for juvenile drivers only, meaning officers could not pull over an adult for the offense unless they also committed another violation, such as ignoring a stop sign.)

The law includes some exceptions, mainly in relation to using a hands-free device to make phone calls, using GPS — it must be set before getting on the road — and while the vehicle is stopped or parked. Also, “Adult drivers are still permitted to hold a phone directly to their ear for a phone call, but devices may only be activated with a single touch or swipe while driving,” the press release says. However, phones may be used at any time to report an emergency.

“From what I gather, law enforcement everywhere will be (enforcing this),” Laux said. “The idea is to keep you from (holding your phone) and texting and, you know, inputting other stuff.”

Although the new law went into effect today, it includes a six-month grace period. Officers will be issuing warnings to drivers through Oct. 4. After that date, violators will be issued tickets for the offense.

The first offense within two years will add two points to a driver’s license with up to a $150 fine. (To avoid the fine and points, violators may complete a distracted driving course for the first offense.) The second offense within two years will add three points to a driver’s license with up to a $250 fine. Third offenses and more within a two-year span will result in 4 points added to a driver’s license, along with up to a $500 fine and possible 90-days suspension of their license.

For more information about the distracted driving law, visit transportation.ohio.gov/phonesdown.

Village administrator Randy Diller said plans are to include a brief on the updated law during a village employee meeting Thursday, at which point it will be added to the village’s policy.

“Just so you guys know, we will be doing stops for that because, the amount of people running stop signs and everything like that, it’s just crazy,” said Laux, referencing a person who turned at a stop sign without looking up from the GPS navigation on their phone.

Also Monday, village council learned Choice One Engineering has started a topographic survey on portions of Gwendolyn and Wiggs streets, which are being looked at for reconstruction work in the next year. Council members agreed to move forward with the process in March. If a contract is awarded, Gwendolyn Street between Milligan and Wiggs streets and Wiggs Street between Gwendolyn and Wayne streets will be reconstructed.

Council members also heard from Alex Thien, who read a few passages from the Bible and shared his thoughts on the current state of the federal government.