Many people think that dangerous driving habits only cause a minor increase in their personal risk of a crash. What they fail to recognize is that unsafe driving habits also make them a target for law enforcement efforts.
Police officers can and will issue tickets for many kinds of unsafe driving habits like excessive speeding or reckless driving. Insurance companies look at those blemishes on someone’s driving record and may increase what they charge for a policy as a result of someone’s tickets. Traffic infractions indicate that someone is an unsafe driver and therefore more likely to cause collisions and big claims in the future.
The increase in insurance costs can often be several times what the fine for the traffic offense might be. Where does Ohio fall in terms of insurance increases after traffic infractions?
Ohio is not among the worst states for insurance cost increases
Ohio is actually one of the states with lower financial consequences. It’s in 39th place out of 51. A single drunk driving charge might increase your annual insurance costs by just $354. A speeding ticket involving speeds at least 20 miles per hour over the limit would increase your costs by $288, while reckless driving may raise your rates by $452. That’s not much less than the increase for driving on a suspended license, which is just $473.
Compared with states that see four-digit cost increases, the average Ohio safety premiums are relatively affordable. If there is any upside to facing traffic citations or charges in Ohio, it is that the insurance consequences you would face would be much more serious than you would in Illinois or Michigan, both of which are in the top five.
Of course, those increased costs may motivate drivers with a bad record to decrease how much coverage they carry to keep their policy more affordable. That could mean that the person who causes your motor vehicle collision has mediocre coverage because of their questionable driving history. You could also face a complicated investigation if they try to deny their fault for the collision.
Learning more about insurance will empower you to take the appropriate steps after a major motor vehicle collision in Ohio.
