OHIO — A new law aims to improve safety for law enforcement during traffic stops in Ohio, but some drivers say it’s overstepping.
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In October, it will be against Ohio’s law for passengers to refuse to identify themselves during a traffic stop.
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It requires the passenger of a stopped car to give their name, address, and date of birth.
If they don’t, they could face a 4th-degree misdemeanor.
“The passengers should not have to identify themselves. Especially if they’re not doing anything wrong,” Josh Tincher, of Dayton, said.
Tincher said the new law is overstepping boundaries.
He used ridesharing services as an example.
If his rideshare driver is pulled over for a traffic violation, he doesn’t believe he should give his identification.
“If you’re doing something wrong, I understand showing your ID, identifying yourself, okay, whatever. But as far as if you are just sitting there minding your own business, doing nothing wrong, you should not have to identify yourself,” Tincher said.
The new law will take effect in early October, 90 days after Governor Mike DeWine signed it.
Lawmakers supporting this say it gives enforcement officers information to identify potentially dangerous individuals during stops.
The Vice President of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorney’s Association provided the following statement to our media partner WBNS-10 TV in Columbus:
“If there is more than one individual in the car, it’s for officer safety. They ask them — some may have an outstanding warrant that they wouldn’t know about just by running the plate.”
But some drivers disagree.
“There’s other ways to be safe,” Tincher said.
News Center 7 is waiting to hear reactions from a few police departments around the region about this new law.
We will continue to follow this story.
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