(a) No person shall operate a motor vehicle at a speed greater or less than is reasonable or proper, having due regard for the traffic, surface, and width of the street or highway and any other conditions, and no person shall drive any motor vehicle in and upon any street or highway at a greater speed than will permit him or her to bring it to a stop within the assured clear distance ahead.
(b) It is prima facie lawful, in the absence of a lower limit declared pursuant to this section by the Director of Transportation or local authorities, for the operator of a motor vehicle to operate the same at a speed not exceeding the following:
(1) A. Twenty miles per hour in school zones during school recess and while children are going to or leaving school during the opening or closing hours, and when twenty miles per hour school speed limit signs are erected, except that on controlled-access highways and expressways, if the right-of-way line fence has been erected without pedestrian opening, the speed shall be governed by division (b)(4) of this section, and on freeways, if the right-of-way line fence has been erected without pedestrian opening, the speed shall be governed by division (b)(7) of this section. The end of every school zone may be marked by a sign indicating the end of the zone. Nothing in this section or in the Manual and Specifications for a Uniform System of Traffic-Control Devices shall be construed to require school zones to be indicated by signs equipped with flashing or other lights, or giving other special notice of the hours in which the school zone speed limit is in effect.
B. As used in this section, “school” means any school chartered under Ohio R.C. 3301.16 and any nonchartered school that during the preceding year filed with the Department of Education in compliance with O.A.C. 3301-35-08, a copy of the school's report for the parents of the school's pupils certifying that the school meets State minimum standards for nonchartered, nontax-supported schools and presents evidence of this filing to the jurisdiction from which it is requesting the establishment of a school zone.
C. As used in this section, “school zone” means that portion of a street or highway passing a school fronting upon the street or highway that is encompassed by projecting the school property lines to the fronting street or highway, and also includes that portion of a State highway. Upon request from local authorities for streets and highways under their jurisdiction and that portion of a State highway under the jurisdiction of the Director of Transportation, the Director may extend the traditional school zone boundaries. The distances in divisions (b)(1)C.1. through 3. below shall not exceed 300 feet per approach per direction, and are bounded by whichever of the following distances or combination thereof the Director approves as most appropriate:
1. The distance encompassed by projecting the school building lines normal to the fronting highway and extending a distance of 300 feet on each approach direction;
2. The distance encompassed by projecting the school property lines intersecting the fronting highway and extending a distance of 300 feet on each approach direction;
3. The distance encompassed by the special marking of the pavement for a principal school pupil crosswalk plus a distance of 300 feet on each approach direction of the highway.
D. Nothing in this section shall be construed to invalidate the Director's initial action on August 9, 1976, establishing all school zones at the traditional school zone boundaries defined by projecting school property lines, except when those boundaries are extended as provided in divisions (b)(1)A. and (b)(1)C. of this section.
E. As used in this division, “crosswalk” has the meaning given that term in Ohio R.C. 4511.01(LL)(2).
(2) Twenty-five miles per hour in all other portions of the Municipality, except on State routes outside business districts, through highways outside business districts, and alleys;
(3) Thirty-five miles per hour on all State routes or through highways within the Municipality outside business districts, except as provided in divisions (b)(4) and (5) of this section;
(4) Fifty miles per hour on controlled-access highways and expressways within the Municipality;
(5) Fifty miles per hour on State routes within the Municipality outside urban districts unless a lower prima facie speed is established as further provided in this section;
(6) Fifteen miles per hour on all alleys within the Municipality;
(7) Fifty-five miles per hour at all times on freeways with paved shoulders inside the Municipality other than freeways as provided in division (b)(10);
(8) Fifty-five miles per hour at all times on all portions of freeways that are part of the interstate system and on all portions of freeways not part of the interstate system, but are built to the standards and specifications that are applicable to freeways that are part of the interstate system for operators of any motor vehicle weighing in excess of 8,000 pounds empty weight and any noncommercial bus;
(9) Fifty-five miles per hour for operators of any motor vehicle weighing 8,000 pounds or less empty weight and any commercial bus at all times on all portions of freeways that are part of the interstate system and that had such a speed limit established prior to October 1, 1995, and freeways that are not part of the interstate system but are built to the standards and specifications that are applicable to freeways that are part of the interstate system and that had such a speed limit established prior to October 1, 1995, unless a higher speed limit is established under Ohio R.C. 4511.21(L);
(10) Sixty-five miles per hour for operators of any motor vehicle weighing 8,000 pounds or less empty weight and any commercial bus at all times on all portions of the following:
A. Freeways that are part of the interstate system and that had such a speed limit established prior to October 1, 1995, and freeways that are not part of the interstate system but are built to the standards and specifications that are applicable to freeways that are part of the interstate system and that had such a speed limit established prior to October 1, 1995;
B. Freeways that are part of the interstate system and freeways that are not part of the interstate system but are built to the standards and specifications that are applicable to freeways that are part of the interstate system, and that had such a speed limit established under Ohio R.C. 4511.21(L);
C. Rural, divided, multi-lane highways that are designated as part of the national highway system under the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995, 109 Stat. 568, 23 U.S.C. 103, and that had such a speed limit established under Ohio R.C. 4511.21(M).
(c) It is prima facie unlawful for any person to exceed any of the speed limitations in division (b) of this section or any declared pursuant to this section by the Director or local authorities and it is unlawful for any person to exceed any of the speed limitations in division (d) of this section. No person shall be convicted of more than one violation of this section for the same conduct, although violations of more than one provision of this section may be charged in the alternative in a single affidavit.
(d) No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon a street or highway as follows:
(1) At a speed exceeding 55 miles per hour, except upon a freeway as provided in division (b)(10) of this section;
(2) At a speed exceeding 65 miles per hour upon a freeway as provided in division (b)(10) of this section except as otherwise provided in division (d)(3) of this section;
(3) If operating a motor vehicle weighing in excess of 8,000 pounds empty weight or a noncommercial bus as prescribed in division (b)(8) of this section, at a speed exceeding 55 miles per hour upon a freeway as provided in that division;
(4) At a speed exceeding the posted speed limit upon a freeway for which the Director has determined and declared a speed limit of not more than 65 miles per hour pursuant to Ohio R.C. 4511.21(L)(2) or (M);
(5) At a speed exceeding 65 miles per hour upon a freeway for which such a speed limit has been established through the operation of Ohio R.C. 4511.21(L)(3);
(6) At a speed exceeding the posted speed limit upon a freeway for which the Director had determined and declared a speed limit pursuant to Ohio R.C. 4511.21(I)(2).
(e) Pursuant to Ohio R.C. 4511.21(E), in every charge of violating this section, the affidavit and warrant shall specify the time, place and speed at which the defendant is alleged to have driven and shall also specify the lawful prima facie speed limit at the time and place of such alleged violation, except that in affidavits where a person is alleged to have driven at a greater speed than will permit him or her to bring the vehicle to stop within the assured clear distance ahead, the affidavit and warrant need not specify the speed at which the defendant is alleged to have driven.
(f) Pursuant to Ohio R.C. 4511.21(F), when a speed in excess of both a prima facie limitation and a limitation in division (d)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of this section is alleged, the defendant shall be charged in a single affidavit, alleging a single act, with a violation indicated of both division (b)(1)A., (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of this section, or of a limit declared pursuant to Ohio R.C. 4511.21 by the Director or local authorities, and of the limitation in division (d)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of this section. If the court finds a violation of division (b)(1)A., (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of this section, or a limit declared pursuant to Ohio R.C. 4511.21 has occurred, it shall enter judgment of conviction under such division and dismiss the charge under division (d)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of this section. If it finds no violation of division (b)(1)A., (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of this section, or a limit declared pursuant to Ohio R.C. 4511.21, it shall then consider whether the evidence supports a conviction under division (d)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of this section.
(g) Pursuant to Ohio R.C. 4511.21(G), points shall be assessed for a violation of a limitation under division (d) of this section in accordance with Ohio R.C. 4510.036.
(h) Whenever, in accordance with Ohio R.C. 4511.21(H) through (N), the maximum prima facie speed limitations as established herein have been altered, either higher or lower, and the appropriate signs giving notice have been erected as required, operators of motor vehicles shall be governed by the speed limitations set forth on such signs. It is prima facie unlawful for any person to exceed the speed limits posted upon such signs.
(i) As used in this section:
(1) “Commercial bus” means a motor vehicle designed for carrying more than nine passengers and used for the transportation of persons for compensation.
(2) “Interstate system” has the same meaning as in 23 U.S.C. 101.
(3) “Noncommercial bus” includes but is not limited to a school bus, or a motor vehicle operated solely for the transportation of persons associated with a charitable or nonprofit organization.
(j) Penalty.
(1) A violation of any provision of this section is one of the following:
A. Except as otherwise provided in divisions (j)(1)B., (j)(1) C., and (j)(2) and (j)(3) of this section, a minor misdemeanor;
B. If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two violations of any provision of this section, Ohio R.C. 4511.21, or any provision of any other municipal ordinance that is substantially equivalent to any provision of that section, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree;
C. If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to three or more violations of any provision of this section, Ohio R.C. 4511.21, or any provision of any other municipal ordinance that is substantially equivalent to any provision of that section, a misdemeanor of the third degree.
(2) If the offender has not previously been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of any provision of this section, Ohio R.C. 4511.21, or any other municipal ordinance that is substantially equivalent to any provision of that section, and operated a motor vehicle faster than 50 miles an hour in a business district of the Municipality, faster than 70 miles an hour in other portions of the Municipality, or faster than 35 miles an hour in a school zone during recess or while children are going to or leaving school during the school's opening or closing hours, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(Ord. 1223-04. Passed 1-6-04.)
(3) Notwithstanding division (j)(1) of this section, if the offender operated a motor vehicle in a construction zone where a sign was then posted in accordance with Ohio R.C. 4511.98, the court, in addition to all other penalties provided by law, shall impose upon the offender a fine of two times the usual amount imposed for the violation. No court shall impose a fine of two times the usual amount imposed for the violation upon an offender if the offender alleges, in an affidavit filed with the court prior to the offender's sentencing, that the offender is indigent and is unable to pay the fine imposed pursuant to this division and if the court determines that the offender is an indigent person and unable to pay the fine.
Statutory reference:
Maximum speed limits, see Ohio R.C. 4511.21