ohio driver information

This handy guide is chock-full of motorist laws to help you drive safely. You'll also find relevant stats and licensing info in case you're a first-time driver or just moved in to the Buckeye State.

Ohio driving stats and info

Number of licensed drivers: 7,937,000

Registered vehicles: 11,022,000

Licensing and registration authority: Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV)

Ohio driving records and the point system

At-fault accidents, traffic tickets, and driving infractions can add penalty points to your driving record. Depending on the severity of the incident, penalties range from 2 to 6 points. Speeding between 11 and 29 mph over the limit could net you 2 points, while a DUI conviction adds 6 points.

If you get 12 or more points in 2 years, your drivers license will likely be suspended. Points on your driving record can impact your car insurance premiums because your driving record is a rating factor.

You can check out the Ohio Department of Public Safety's Digest of Motor Vehicle Laws (PDF, slides 48-49) for a complete list of penalties and driving points per incident.

DUIs

As in all states, it's illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent or higher. Drivers convicted of a DUI can expect to lose their licenses for at least 90 days and at most 3 years.

Reporting car accidents in Ohio

If you're in an accident in Ohio, call 911 to report it.

If a police officer doesn't come to the scene, you can file a BMV 3303 Crash Report form (PDF) within 6 months of the accident if there was more than $400 in damage and the other driver didn't have car insurance.

Moving to Ohio

According to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, new Ohio residents include anyone who:

Enrolls their kids in an Ohio school
Signs an apartment lease for an Ohio residence
Starts a new job in Ohio, or
Becomes an Ohio voter

New residents are required to get an Ohio drivers license as soon as possible.

In order to become an official Ohio driver, you'll need to:

Take a written exam based on Ohio's rules of the road
Pass a vision test
Possibly take a driving test (this may be waived if you already have a valid license from your former state without any driving restrictions)
Have some proof of identity (current drivers license, passport, etc.)
Provide proof that you're now an Ohio resident

Ohio car theft

Data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau revealed the 10 most stolen cars in Ohio for 2011:

2000 Dodge Caravan
1994 Chevrolet Pickup (full size)
1996 Honda Accord
19996 Oldsmobile Cutlass/Supreme/Ciera
1999 Ford Pickup (full size)
1994 Buick Century
1998 Ford Taurus
1998 Honda Civic
2005 Chevrolet Impala
1996 Chevrolet Pickup (small size)

The Cleveland metropolitan area reported the most thefts in the state with 6,603. It had the 57th-highest theft rate in the nation.

Young drivers in Ohio

Required classroom instruction hours: 24
Required training: 8 hours behind the wheel
Minimum permit age: 15 years and 6 months old
- Minimum holding period: 6 months
Minimum intermediate license age: 16 years old
- Parent/guardian practice hours: 50 hours, 10 night hours
- Nighttime restrictions: 1:00 a.m.–5 a.m.
- Passenger restrictions: if under the age of 17, only one person other than a family member allowed in the car, unless the young driver's parent, guardian, or legal custodian is present
Minimum age restrictions lifted: 17 years old