Ohio (OH) Teen Auto Insurance Laws, Rates & Requirements

Car accidents claim more than 5,000 precious teen lives each year. And each year, more than 400,000 teens are involved in accidents where one or more passengers are seriously injured. While 16-20 year olds account for the vast majority of accidents involving young drivers, first year drivers are involved in car crashes more often than any other group. In an effort to reduce the number of non-fatal and fatal traffic accidents involving teens, the state of Ohio has adopted the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program. The program includes several stages of graduated licensing with specific components, restrictions, and penalties for each stage.

Continue reading to learn more about Ohio’s teen driving laws and the consequences for violating them.

Ohio Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) and Driver License Requirements

The Ohio Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program begins with the temporary instruction permit. You may obtain your temporary instruction permit no earlier than age 15 ½. During this time the permit holder must:

•    Complete 24 hours of classroom instruction
•    Complete 50 hours of driving, including at least 10 hours at night
•    Hold the permit for at least 6 months before completing the skills test for the Ohio driver license

To apply for the temporary instruction permit, the teen must complete a driver knowledge test and a vision test. He must also provide the following items to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV):

•    Proof of age
•    Proof of identity
•    Social security number
•    Signature of parent or legal guardian on the permit application, meaning the parent must be present during the application process

In addition to the documents above, the teen’s parent or legal guardian must present two forms of ID the Ohio BMV.

The next stage in the process is the probationary driver license. Once all permit requirements have been satisfied and the teen has reached age 17, he will be eligible to apply for a probationary license. You must bring the same documents to the Ohio BMV as well as the 50 hour affidavit. The affidavit confirms that you have completed 50 hours of behind-the-wheel driving practice. You must also pass the vision, written knowledge, and road test.

Once you have passed all tests and all documents have been approved, you will receive your probationary license. The probationary license comes with a long list of restrictions based on the age of the driver. Please continue to the next section to read the list of restrictions provided by the Ohio BMV.

Ohio Teen Driving Laws and Enforcement

The following rules apply to temporary instruction permit holders.

•    Permit holders must carry their temporary card at all times
•    A licensed parent or guardian must also accompany the holder at all times. A certified driving instructor is acceptable as well
•    The supervising driver, also “designated driver,” must be seated in the front passenger seat at all times
•    If for some reason the parent or legal guardian cannot accompany the permit holder, he or she must sign a Loco Parentis Affidavit authorizing a responsible driver age 21 or older to fulfill parental responsibilities in the absence of a parent or legal guardian
•    Once the permit holder reaches 16 years of age, he may drive with a licensed driver age 21 or older
•    Permit holders under the age of 18 cannot drive between the hours of 12 a.m. and 6 a.m., unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, or legal custodian who holds a valid license

Under terms of the probationary driver license, the Ohio BMV lists the following detailed list of restrictions. Please read through the restrictions very carefully before getting behind the wheel.

•    Probationary driver license holders under the age of 17 will not be permitted to operate a motor vehicle with more than one person who is not a family member in the vehicle, unless accompanied by the license holder's parent, guardian, or legal custodian

•    Probationary driver license holders between 17 and 18 years of age will be restricted from driving between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless the holder is accompanied by a parent or guardian, with the following exceptions: an emergency situation, driving to or from a school activity, or driving to or from work. Travel to or from work is permitted provided the teen has written documentation from the employer

•    Probationary license holders under the age of 17 are prohibited from driving between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or guardian with the same exceptions as above

•    If a probationary driver license holder under the age of 17 is convicted of having committed one moving violation during the first six months of having a driver license, the person must be accompanied by a parent or guardian whenever operating a motor vehicle during the six-month period commencing on the date on which the person is convicted of or pleads guilty to the moving violation or until the person attains the age of 17

Ohio Cell Phone Use/Texting While Driving Laws

The state of Ohio does not have a statewide cell phone ban. Cleveland has banned texting while driving within city limits and he city of Cincinnati plans to do the same. Fees range from $25-$100. Pending legislation does exist for 2009-2010. Several bills seek to outlaw the use of handheld cell phones and texting for all, and restrict drivers under 17 from talking on cell phones or text messaging. Fines for primary offenses will range from $25-$100 and for offenses that cause an accident, the fines will be $250 or more.

Ohio Teen DUI Laws

In the state of Ohio, it is a crime for a teen to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration level (BAC) of 0.02% or higher. A BAC of 0.02% is as little as one beer, one glass of wine or one mixed drink for most people. It can be even less for some. Proof of a BAC of 0.02% is all that is needed to convict a Ohio teen of DUI. If you are a temporary permit holder or probationary license holder under age 18 and you get caught driving with a BAC of 0.02% or higher, your driving privileges will be suspended for six months. If you have not yet reached the age of 15½, you will not be eligible for a temporary permit until the age of 16.

Ohio Teen Auto Insurance Requirements

All drivers in the state of Ohio, regardless of age, must carry minimum liability insurance in the amounts of $12,500 bodily injury per person, $25,000 bodily injury for two or more people, and $7,500 for property damage (12.5/25/7.5).  Because the risk of an auto collision is significantly higher during a teen’s first year behind the wheel, Ohio auto insurance companies recommend purchasing higher amounts of coverage than the legal limits. If you plan to add a teen driver to your policy, keep in mind that your annual rate will increase anywhere from $1,200 to $4,900 a year, with an average of around $2,171 a year.