303.02 COMPLIANCE WITH POLICE ORDER; FLEEING.

   (EDITOR’S NOTE: This section was repealed by Ordinance 9-91, passed February 4, 1991. See Section 525.16 of the Codified Ordinances for relevant provisions.)

303.03 EMERGENCY VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC REGULATIONS.

   (a)   Ohio R.C. 4511.12, 4511.13, 4511.131, 4511.132, 4511.14, 4511.202, 4511.21, 4511.211, 4511.22, 4511.23, 4511.25, 4511.26, 4511.27, 4511.28, 4511.29, 4511.30, 4511.31, 4511.32, 4511.33, 4511.34, 4511.35, 4511.36, 4511.37, 4511.38, 4511.39, 4511.40, 4511.41, 4511.42, 4511.43, 4511.431, 4511.432, 4511.44, 4511.441, 4511.57, 4511.58, 4511.59, 4511.60, 4511.61, 4511.62, 4511.66, 4511.68, 4511.681 and 4511.69 and all sections of this Traffic Code or other municipal ordinances that are substantially equivalent to the sections listed above, do not apply to the driver of an emergency vehicle or public safety vehicle if the emergency vehicle or public safety vehicle is responding to an emergency call, is equipped with and displaying at least one flashing, rotating or oscillating light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of 500 feet to the front of the vehicle and if the driver of the vehicle is giving an audible signal by siren, exhaust whistle or bell. This section does not relieve the driver of an emergency vehicle or public safety vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons and property upon the highway. (ORC 4511.041)

   (b)   Ohio R.C. 4511.25, 4511.26, 4511.27, 4511.28, 4511.29, 4511.30, 4511.31, 4511.32, 4511.33, 4511.35, 4511.36, 4511.37, 4511.38 and 4511.66, and all sections of this Traffic Code or other municipal ordinances that are substantially equivalent to the sections listed above, do not apply to a coroner, deputy coroner, or coroner's investigator operating a motor vehicle in accordance with Ohio R.C. 4513.171. This section does not relieve a coroner, deputy coroner, or coroner's investigator operating a motor vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons and property upon the highway.
(ORC 4511.042)

303.04 RIDING, DRIVING ANIMALS UPON STREETS.

   Every person riding, driving or leading an animal or animals upon a street shall be subject to the provisions of this Code applicable to the driver of a vehicle, except those provisions of this Code which by their nature are inapplicable.
(ORC 4511.05; Ord. 7-83. Passed 3-21-83.)

303.05 PROHIBITIONS ON USE OF FREEWAYS

   No person, unless otherwise directed by a police officer, shall

   (a)    As a pedestrian, occupy any space within the limits of the right-of-way of a freeway; except: in a rest area; on a facility that is separated from the roadway and shoulders of a freeway and is designed and appropriately marked for pedestrian use; in the performance of public works or official duties; as a result of an emergency caused by an accident or breakdown of a motor vehicle; or to obtain assistance;

   (b)    Occupy any space within the limits of the right-of-way of a freeway, with: an animal-drawn vehicle; a ridden or led animal; herded animals; a pushcart; a bicycle, except on a facility that is separated from the roadway and shoulders of the freeway and is designed and appropriately marked for bicycle use; a bicycle with motor attached; a motor driven cycle with a motor which produces not to exceed five brake horsepower; an agricultural tractor; farm machinery; except in the performance of public works or official duties.
(Ord. 44-91. Passed 8-5-91.)

   (c)   If the offender commits the offense while distracted and the distracting activity is a contributing factor to the commission of the offense, the offender is subject to the additional fine established under Section 303.991 of the Traffic Code.

      (ORC 4511.051)

303.06 TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES MUST BE OBEYED.

   (a)   No pedestrian or driver of a vehicle shall disobey the instructions of any traffic control device placed in accordance with the provisions of this Code, unless at the time otherwise directed by a police officer. When both traffic control signals and stop signs are erected at an intersection, traffic shall be governed by the traffic control signal while it is in operation.

   No provision of this Code for which signs are required shall be enforced against an alleged violator if at the time and place of the alleged violation an official sign is not in proper position and sufficiently legible to be seen by an ordinarily observant person. Whenever a particular section does not state that signs are required, such section shall be effective even though no signs are erected or in place. (Ord. 7-83. Passed 3-21-83.)

   (b)   If the offender commits the offense while distracted and the distracting activity is a contributing factor to the commission of the offense, the offender is subject to the additional fine established under Section 303.991 of the Traffic Code. (ORC 4511.12)

303.07 DRIVER’S LICENSE OR COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S LICENSE REQUIRED.

   (a)   (1)   No person, except those expressly exempted under Ohio R.C. 4507.03, 4507.04, and 4507.05, shall operate any motor vehicle upon a public road or highway or any public or private property used by the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking in this Municipality unless the person has a valid driver's license issued under Ohio R.C. Chapter 4507 or a commercial driver's license issued under Ohio R.C. Chapter 4506.

      (2)   No person, except a person expressly exempted under Ohio R.C. 4507.03, 4507.04, and 4507.05, shall operate any motorcycle upon a public road or highway or any public or private property used by the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking in this Municipality unless the person has a valid license as a motorcycle operator that was issued upon application by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles under Ohio R.C. Chapter 4507. The license shall be in the form of an endorsement, as determined by the Registrar, upon a driver’s or commercial driver’s license, if the person has a valid license to operate a motor vehicle or commercial motor vehicle, or in the form of a restricted license as provided in Ohio R.C. 4507.14, if the person does not have a valid license to operate a motor vehicle or commercial motor vehicle.

   (b)   Upon the request or motion of the prosecuting authority, a noncertified copy of the law enforcement automated data system report or a noncertified copy of a record of the Registrar of Motor Vehicles that shows the name, date of birth, and social security number of a person charged with a violation of subsection (a)(1) or (2) of this section may be admitted into evidence as prima-facie evidence that the person did not have either a valid driver’s or commercial driver’s license at the time of the alleged violation of subsection (a)(1) of this section or a valid license as a motorcycle operator either in the form of an endorsement upon a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or a restricted license at the time of the alleged violation of subsection (a)(2) of this section. The person charged with a violation of subsection (a)(1) or (2) of this section may offer evidence to rebut this prima-facie evidence.

   (c)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of operating a motor vehicle or motorcycle without a valid license and shall be punished as follows:

      (1)   If the trier of fact finds that the offender never has held a valid driver’s or commercial driver’s license issued by this state or any other jurisdiction, or, in a case involving the operation of a motorcycle by the offender, if the offender has never held a valid license as a motorcycle operator, either in the form of an endorsement upon a driver’s or commercial driver’s license or in the form of a restricted license, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the offense is an unclassified misdemeanor. When the offense is an unclassified misdemeanor, the offender shall be sentenced pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2929.21 to 2929.28, except that the offender shall not be sentenced to a jail term; the offender shall not be sentenced to a community residential sanction pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2929.26; notwithstanding division (A)(2)(a) of Ohio R.C. 2929.28, the offender may be fined up to one thousand dollars ($1,000); and, notwithstanding division (A)(3) of Ohio R.C. 2929.27, the offender may be ordered pursuant to division (C) of that section to serve a term of community service of up to five hundred hours. The failure of an offender to complete a term of community service imposed by the court may be punished as indirect criminal contempt under division (A) of Ohio R.C. 2705.02 that may be filed in the underlying case. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any violation of Ohio R.C. 4510.12 or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, the offense is a misdemeanor of the first degree.

      (2)   If the offender’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit or, in a case involving the operation of a motorcycle by the offender, the offender’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license bearing the motorcycle endorsement or the offender’s restricted license was expired at the time of the offense, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the offense is a minor misdemeanor. If, within three years of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two or more violations of Ohio R.C. 4510.12 or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, the offense is a misdemeanor of the first degree.

   (d)   The court shall not impose a license suspension for a first violation of this section or if more than three years have passed since the offender’s last violation of Ohio R.C. 4510.12 or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance.

   (e)   If the offender is sentenced under subsection (c)(2) hereof, if within three years of the offense the offender previously was convicted of or pleaded guilty to one or more violations of Ohio R.C. 4510.12 or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, and if the offender’s license was expired for more than six months at the time of the offense, the court may impose a class seven suspension of the offender’s driver’s license, commercial driver’s license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege from the range specified in division (A)(7) of Ohio R.C. 4510.02.

(ORC 4510.12)

303.071 PERMITTING OPERATION WITHOUT VALID LICENSE; ONE LICENSE PERMITTED.

   (a)   No person shall permit the operation of a motor vehicle upon any public or private property used by the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking knowing the operator does not have a valid driver’s license issued to the operator by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles or a Deputy Registrar under Ohio R.C. Chapter 4507 or a valid commercial driver’s license issued under Ohio R.C. Chapter 4506.

   (b)   (1)   No person shall receive a driver’s license, or a motorcycle operator’s endorsement of a driver’s or commercial driver’s license, temporary instruction permit, or identification card unless and until the person surrenders to the Registrar or a deputy registrar all valid licenses, temporary instruction permits, and identification cards issued to the person by another jurisdiction recognized by this state.

      (2)   The Registrar shall report the cancellation of a license, temporary instruction permit, or identification card to the issuing authority, together with information that the license, temporary instruction permit, or identification card is now issued in this state. The Registrar or a deputy registrar shall destroy any such license, temporary instruction permit, or identification card that is not returned to the issuing authority.

      (3)   No person shall possess more than one valid license, temporary instruction permit, or identification card at any time.

         (ORC 4507.02(A))

   (c)   (1)   Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, whoever violates subsection (a) hereof is guilty of an unclassified misdemeanor. When the offense is an unclassified misdemeanor, the offender shall be sentenced pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2929.21 to 2929.28, except that the offender shall not be sentenced to a jail term; the offender shall not be sentenced to a community residential sanction pursuant to Ohio R.C. 2929.26; notwithstanding division (A)(2)(a) of Ohio R.C. 2929.28, the offender may be fined up to one thousand dollars ($1,000) and, notwithstanding division (A)(3) of Ohio R.C. 2929.27, the offender may be ordered pursuant to division (C) of that section to serve a term of community service of up to five hundred hours. The failure of an offender to complete a term of community service imposed by the court may be punished as indirect criminal contempt under division (A) of Ohio R.C. 2705.02 that may be filed in the underlying case. If, within three years of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two or more violations of Ohio R.C. 4507.02 or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, the offense is a misdemeanor of the first degree.

      (2)   Whoever violates subsection (b) hereof is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(ORC 4507.02; 4507.99)