To amend section 4511.213 of the Revised Code to prohibit failing to change lanes or proceed with caution around a stationary vehicle in distress.
SB 16 amends Ohio’s “move over” law in section 4511.213 of the Revised Code. The bill requires drivers approaching a stationary vehicle in distress to either change lanes away from the vehicle, when traveling on a multi-lane highway and it is safe and possible to do so, or otherwise slow down and proceed with due caution at a safe speed below the posted limit. The same basic rules already apply to stationary public safety vehicles, emergency vehicles, road service vehicles, waste collection vehicles, certain utility inspection vehicles, and highway maintenance vehicles; the bill adds stationary vehicles in distress to the list of protected vehicles and clarifies the required driver conduct around them.
The bill also defines “vehicle in distress” to include disabled vehicles using required warning devices, vehicles near which flares or other emergency signs are displayed, and vehicles displaying flashing emergency or hazard lights. It preserves the existing structure of penalties for violations, including minor misdemeanor treatment for a first offense, higher misdemeanor levels for repeat offenses, and enhanced fines in some circumstances. The bill further creates a specific knowing-violation offense when the stationary vehicle is a vehicle in distress, and provides that such an arrest or conviction does not constitute a criminal record for employment or licensing inquiries.
In practical terms, the bill expands roadway safety obligations for motorists and gives additional legal protection to stranded or disabled drivers and their vehicles. It amends an existing traffic statute rather than creating a new standalone law, so its main effect is to broaden the scope of conduct already regulated under Ohio’s move-over requirements and to reinforce enforcement mechanisms and penalties.
The available voting history suggests the bill was broadly supported and noncontroversial in the Senate, passing committee 7-0 and the full Senate 32-0. No committee transcript is provided, and there is no recorded dissent in the materials supplied. The overall sentiment appears favorable, with the bill framed as a roadway safety measure intended to protect motorists, first responders, and roadside workers.
No major points of contention are evident in the provided record. Any potential issues would likely center on enforcement, driver compliance, and the scope of the new “vehicle in distress” category, but the bill’s unanimous votes indicate those concerns did not generate visible opposition in the Senate process shown here.
SB 16 amends section 4511.213 of the Revised Code, expanding Ohio’s move-over/proceed-with-caution requirements to expressly cover stationary vehicles in distress. It imposes lane-change or speed-reduction duties on drivers approaching such vehicles, adds a statutory definition of “vehicle in distress,” and preserves/extends misdemeanor penalties and enhanced fines for violations. The bill affects motorists, disabled drivers, and roadside safety enforcement, while leaving the underlying structure of the existing traffic offense in place.
The bill appears to have been received positively and without recorded opposition in the materials provided. It passed a Senate committee 7-0 and the full Senate 32-0, indicating broad bipartisan support. The measure is presented as a public-safety update to existing traffic law, with no committee debate transcript suggesting significant controversy.
No notable contention is reflected in the supplied record. The only likely areas for debate would be how broadly “vehicle in distress” is defined, how strictly the lane-change requirement can be enforced when traffic or road conditions make it unsafe, and whether the added penalties and strict-liability framework are appropriate. However, the unanimous votes suggest these issues did not produce visible disagreement in the Senate proceedings provided.