Running a Red Light is Sorta Legal in Ohio Right Now

Predictive Rendering of the intersection of Broad & High

You’re hearing it here first folks — Ohio will be a Mad Max style wasteland in approx. 4 months thanks to a new law that allows “motorists” to run red lights under certain situations.

Originally designed to help cyclists move through unchanging red lights that do not detect a vehicle is present (bikes don’t trigger the very complicated loop sensors, seriously read the comments) the wording allows everyone driving on the road to take advantage of this.

House Bill 154, the same one that made the 3 ft. rule for cars/cyclists has essentially put a legal loophole to everyone with a red light citation. You could simply argue that, “the detector wasn’t working or you didn’t think it was working and you could honestly believe that in good faith and comply with this law without stopping at a red light.” attorney Steve Palmer of Yavitch and Palmer, Co. L.P.A. said to NBC4i.

Yeah, you’re still going to get pulled over from an Officer for treating the red light like a green light and endangering everyone but all you have to do is prove the signal was malfunctioning in court.

As of right now there is allegedly a new bill being fast-tracked so that this law would only affect cyclists but – it will be at least 90 days after anything is passed before it goes into effect thanks to Ohio’s 90 day stipulation on all passed legislation.

So yeah…keep your head on a swivel out there.

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