CLEVELAND — Paying a ticket for a law you broke is never fun, especially if it’s a law you didn’t know existed. Strange laws can be found everywhere, and in Ohio, it’s no different.
Some violations may cost you some cash. Did you know that the license plate frame, the one on every vehicle from a dealership, can get you a ticket?
"It’s entirely up to the officer on who to pull over for this,” said Michael Benza, instructor of law at Case Western Reserve University College of Law.
In Ohio, three things must be visible on your license plate: the license number, the county identification and the current registration sticker.
“The offense is actually strict liability, which means as long as the officer sees that it’s covered,” said Benza. “It doesn’t matter why it was covered, you didn’t know. You’re going to get the ticket for that violation.”
Something you didn’t even put on your car could cost you money.
Part of the issue is, if you challenge these. You end up having to pay not just the fine itself, whatever the ticket value is, but then you pay the cost of the proceedings as well. So you end up sometimes doubling or even tripling the cost of the ticket.
Some other laws in Ohio drivers may not know about it if you’re taking a trip to Youngstown, make sure the fuel tank is filled up. Running out of gas on the road in city limits is technically a misdemeanor.
“I mean, people run out of gas? What if there’s not a gas station nearby, what are you supposed to do,” said Tim Blair, a Shaker Heights resident.
In Ohio, technically it’s mandatory for you to honk your horn when passing another driver. Luckily, most Ohioans are guilty of breaking this law or the road would be a noisy place.
“They’re just trying to make money. That’s all. They’re trying to make money off of us. That’s nothing new,” Blair said.
Keep in mind, these aren’t moving violations, so you wouldn’t see any points on your license or increase in your insurance.
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