A man drives his SUV down E. 9th St. with his phone to his ear Wednesday evening, March 24, 2010 in Cleveland. (Joshua Gunter/ The Plain Dealer via TNS)

Tickets will start being issued Thursday under Ohio’s new distracted driving law, which prohibits drivers from using, holding or physically supporting a cellphone.

Gov. Mike DeWine signed the law in January, and a six-month grace period started when the law was put into effect 90 days later. On Thursday, distracted driving caused by electronic devices will become a primary offense with varying punishments.

According to the Ohio Department of Public Safety, these reprimands include up to a $150 fine for the first offense in two years with 2 points assessed to a driver’s license, up to $250 for the second offense in two years with 3 points assessed to a driver’s license and up to $500 for the third or more offenses in two years with 4 points assessed to a license. 

Three or more offenses in two years can also be punished with a possible 90-day driver’s license suspension. Fines will be doubled if the violation occurs in a work zone. 

According to the governor’s website, Ohio’s previous law regarding distracted driving made it a primary offense for juvenile drivers only and only allowed officers to stop adults if they were also committing a separate primary traffic violation, like speeding, in addition to being distracted. 

“Senate Bill 288, sponsored by Senator Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville), designates the use of cell phones and other electronic communications devices while driving as primary traffic offense for all drivers and allows law enforcement to immediately pull over a distracted driver upon witnessing a violation,” the website said. 

According to previous Lantern reports, there have been over 62,000 car accidents involving distracted driving in Ohio alone from 2018-2023, and of those accidents, 1,828 resulted in serious injuries or deaths. 

DeWine said the legislation will prevent crashes and save lives because too many people are willing to risk their lives to look at their phone while behind the wheel, according to the same website. 

“My hope is that this legislation will prompt a cultural shift around distracted driving that normalizes the fact that distracted driving is dangerous, irresponsible, and just as deadly as driving drunk,” DeWine said.