Starting Today, Sheriff Enforces New Law with Citations
The motoring public witness am unusual sighting this morning, Yes Amish Buggies were being pulled over in Northern Ashland County. Even the Amish seemed to be surprised that they were pulled over.
Waking up at O-Dark-Thirty, I was re-thinking my request to ride with the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office in covering this story, but only for a second. I have covered many car versus Amish Buggy accidents, over the past few years, and hoped something like House Bill 30 would come to fruition. House Bill 30 was co-sponsored locally by Ashland County’s State Representative, Republican Darrell Kick of Loudonville.
House Bill 30 clarifies the Ohio Revised Code law governing slow-moving vehicles and revises the lighting and reflective material requirements applicable to animal-drawn vehicles. This new law took effect on August 31, 2022. requiring Amish Buggies and other animal-drawn vehicles to display a yellow flashing light, day or night, while driving on public streets.
As with any new law, the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, and other Law Enforcement agency’s try to give a grace period, and this was no exception. The Amish are at disadvantage with no TV’s and Smart phones, so the sheriff’s Office printed out brochures to help educate and get the word out.
In speaking with Ashland County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Don Sims, he stated, “over the last several weeks, Sheriff's Deputies and Ashland Post Troopers have been making contact with Buggy drivers in Northern Ashland County.”
“We have taken a diplomatic approach to the implementation of Ohio's new buggy light law here.” Commented Lt. Don Sims, “We have concentrated our efforts in Jackson and Sullivan Townships. These areas border Medina and Wayne County in northeast Ashland County. We have a large concentration of Amish in these areas and we hoped to make some headway with the flashing amber lights that are now required to be on horse drawn buggies.”
Lt. Sims admits, “There has been some resistance from our Amish leadership in these areas. Many followers are wanting to put the flashing lights on their buggy, but for some ‘religious’ reasons are being told not to comply.”
“Lt. Brad Bishop, of the Ashland Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol and myself have spoken to several Amish leaders about Ohio’s new law and encouraged them to comply with the new buggy law.” Lt. Sims continued, “This affects a large area of Ashland County, which has a vast Amish community. We have been educating buggy drivers and asking them to speak to one another in their community about the consequences if they do not comply.”
Lt. Sims went on to say. “Sheriff Risner has made it very clear that we will be enforcing the new state law, here in Ashland County. So, during the month of September, we set out to educated and warn drivers of the new regulations and requirements.”
“As of today, October 10th, 2022, Deputies will be enforcing the new law and issuing citations. Troopers of the Ashland Highway Patrol and Ashland City Police Officers will also be taking a closer look at buggies, as they travel on roadways here in Ashland County,” Remarked Lt. Sims
Lt. Sims reminded me that this is obviously an attempt to make our roadways safer in Ohio. “I think we ask ourselves ‘What can be done?’ every time we read of another buggy crash. Lt. Sims pointed out, “Lawmakers have also asked themself the same question, and have passed this law in an attempt to make roadways safer for us all.”
“This is not an attempt to bother or harass our Amish citizens,” Lt. Sims concluded, “although they, like their English counterparts, are required to follow the law and will be held accountable if they choose not to do so.”
One little red light and a few strips of reflective tape is no longer acceptable in Ohio anymore. Buggies must have two red lights for the rear, one white light for the front, and a yellow flashing light while driving on public streets.
Riding with Deputy Hall, of the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, we left the Sheriff’s Office around 6am and headed north. It didn’t take but a few minutes to encounter an Amish Buggy that obviously was not in compliance with the new law. At-least five citations were written this morning, with more to follow.
One of the five Amish that were stopped this morning, believed, and stated that this law was against his and the Amish community’s constitutional rights. Three of the five said they were not going to comply with this new law.
This law declares Amish Buggies as unsafe vehicles if they are not displaying a flashing yellow light at all times. So what’s the next move, if the bishop’s keep refusing to comply with this new law? Will it lead to their Buggies being towed?
New Law:
ORC 4513.114
(A) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, no person shall operate an animal-drawn vehicle on a street or highway unless it is equipped with and displays, at times specified in section 4513.03 of the Revised Code, both of the following:
(1) At least one lamp displaying a white light visible from a distance of not less than one thousand feet to the front of the animal-drawn vehicle;
(2) Two lamps displaying red light visible from a distance of not less than one thousand feet to the rear of the animal-drawn vehicle, or as an alternative, one lamp displaying a red light visible from a distance of not less than one thousand feet to the rear and two red reflectors from all distance of six hundred feet to one hundred feet to the rear when illuminated by the lawful lower beams of headlamps.
(B) Except otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, no person shall operate an animal-drawn vehicle on a street or highway unless it is equipped with and displays, at all times, all of the following:
(1) One yellow flashing lamp displaying yellow light that is visible from a distance of not less than one thousand feet and that is mounted in either of the following positions:
(a) On the top most portion of the rear of the animal-drawn vehicle(b) On top of the animal-drawn vehicle
(2) At least one of the following:
(a) An SMV emblem mounted in accordance with division (B) of section 4513.112 of the Revised Code:
(b) Micro-prism reflective tape that is visible from a distance of not less than five hundred feet to the rear when illuminated by the lawful lower beams of headlamps:
(c) Both an SMV emblem and micro-prism reflective tape, as specified in this division. Lamps and micro-prism reflective tape required by this section shall meet standards and specifications adopted by the director of public safety under this section.
C) The director of public safety, in accordance with Chapter I 19. of the Revised Code. shall adopt rules establishing standards and specifications for the position and mounting of the lamps and micro-prism reflective tape required by this section. The rules shall only permit the micro-prism reflective tape to be red, amber, white or silver in color.
(D)(I) Divisions (A) and (B) of this section do not apply to the operator of animal-drawn agricultural equipment who is not transporting any livestock or a person other than the operator.
(2) No operator described in division (D)(1) of this section shall operate animal-drawn agricultural equipment unless it is equipped with and displays, at all times, the SMV emblem mounted in accordance with division (B) of section 4513.112 of the Revised Code.
(3) As used in divisions (D)(I) to (3) of this section, "animal-drawn agricultural equipment" means equipment drawn by the muscular power of an animal that is used solely for agricultural purposes. "Animal drawn agricultural equipment"
Includes any of the following:
(a) A plow:
(b) A manure spreader;
(c) A thresher:
Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
Original source found here.
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