Can You Get a Ticket for a Broken Windshield in Ohio?

You’re going 7 miles-per-hour (mph) over the speed limit when you spot a police car in your rear-view mirror. Seconds later, the cruiser turns its lights on.

You get a warning for speeding, but a $150 fine for a large crack in your windshield.

Prior to this experience, you had no idea you could get a ticket for a broken windshield. The truth of the matter is: a windshield fine can be issued in Ohio for any type of obstructed view – including a chip or crack.

Ohio doesn’t specify the size or shape of windshield damage that warrants a fine. It does specify the circumstances that could lead to a fine, like when:

• Vehicles are in unsafe conditions or pose a danger to others.
• Windshields have large cracks, chips, or other defects located in front of the driver and cause vision obstruction and unsafe driving conditions.

Fines can be as much as $150, so make sure to get any crack or chip in your windshield fixed as soon as possible. Always keep a close eye on windshield damage and take your vehicle to the appropriate auto or glass repair facility for quality repairs, as needed. Don’t wait to fix even the smallest damage on your windshield.

Small chips can easily turn into large cracks. If this happens while you are driving and the newly formed crack obstructs your view, dangerous consequences like a car accident are more likely to occur.

If a chip in the windshield is larger than one inch in diameter, it can compromise the safety of your entire vehicle. The windshield holds much of the structural integrity of your automobile, so if the windshield loses support, your entire vehicle loses support.

Besides windshield damage, other types of driver obstructions that can warrant a fine include:

• Fuzzy dice
• Air fresheners
• Objects on the dashboard
• Beads
• Stickers on the windshield
• Windshield tint

In Ohio, windshield tint must be non-reflective and allow more than 70 percent of light to shine through the glass. Reflective tint cannot be any more reflective than a typical window, and each window or windshield with tint must have a sticker identifying that the tint is within normal limits.

In short, yes you can get a ticket for a broken windshield in Ohio. If your windshield damage obstructs your view or is unsafe in the eyes of the police officer, you may be issued a fine for as much as $150.

Have you been involved in a car accident caused by an obstructed view, such as a cracked windshield? With the help of a good Ohio car accident lawyer, you may be able to obtain compensation for your losses caused by another driver’s negligence.

Call us at 1-800-HURT-NOW or use the contact form to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case and to learn what KNR can do for you.