Living right on the border where Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky all meet means that drivers with licenses from all three states end up getting ticketed regularly in the Cincinnati area. Unfortunately, many Indiana and Kentucky drivers think that it is best not to fight an out-of-state ticket. While you may believe you will save yourself a big hassle by simply paying the ticket since you aren’t a resident, you would be wrong. Many other consequences, especially points on your license can follow you home.
The Driver’s Compact Requires Ohio to Report Traffic Violations Indiana and Kentucky
Although you may think that it is convenient to simply pay the fine in Ohio and forget about the ticket, it is not quite so simple. While you cannot accrue points to your license under the Ohio point system per se, tickets are reported across borders with reciprocity, and you can be held responsible for any violations for which you are deemed guilty in Ohio. Thanks to the Driver’s Compact, all “guilty” traffic violations are reported to your local state BMV. Your state courts then assign you punishments for these violations based on their respective laws, not Ohio law.
This means that you not only pay for the ticket in here in Ohio, but also face any additional consequences for that violation permitted under either Indiana or Kentucky law. This means that you can get points against your license and higher insurance rates. However, if you fight the ticket in Ohio, you may not suffer the same consequences.
Points May Accrue to You in Indiana and Kentucky No Matter What the Violation
Although individual states have the right to decide how to deal with violations reported from other states, both Indiana and Kentucky will put demerit points on your driving record. In Indiana, any comparable offense from speeding to more serious violations will lead to points. In Kentucky, laws are not quite as harsh. You only accrue points for violations other than speeding. However, in both states, the information from Ohio is put on your permanent state driving record. This means that information about the ticket can be accessed by your insurance company at home, which is likely to drive up your rates.
Due to the serious consequences you may face in your home state after being ticketed in Ohio, it is important to fight the charges as you would at home. You also should consider hiring a local Cincinnati traffic lawyer who can help your case get an optimal outcome. If you are ticketed in Ohio, call us today at Luftman, Heck & Associates for a free consultation on your case at (513) 338-1890. With years of experience fighting traffic charges, Cincinnati traffic lawyer Brad Groene will fight against any points following you home.
