"Slow down, we're crossing into Ohio." You've said it, knowing that police officers in Ohio are perched to give you a ticket. But is it really true?

Ohio has long had the reputation for handing out tickets like Halloween candy, and many Michigan motorists are under the impression that out-of-state drivers are shown little mercy in the Buckeye State.

Ohio is the Worst; Michigan is the Best

While you may have been relying on anecdotal evidence all these years, there is proof that there is a sharp contrast between Michigan and Ohio when it comes to traffic tickets.

According to an analysis conducted by Insurify, an insurance shopping website, Ohio ranks first in the nation for having the most heavily enforced traffic laws. A whopping 31.2% of Ohio drivers have some sort of driving-related incident on their record.

How does Michigan rate? There's good news for Michigan residents because the same analysis reveals that our state is last in traffic law enforcement. In other words, fewer Michigan drivers - just 14% - have one or more driving infractions on their records.

Do Police Officers Have Ticket Quotas?

Are police officers encouraged to meet quotas when it comes to handing out traffic tickets? That's a loaded question, and the answer varies by state.

In Michigan, ticket quotas have been illegal since 2010. However, there have been instances where individual police agencies in our state have been accused of encouraging officers to meet minimum ticket requirements.

Across the US, at least 20 states have made it illegal for police agencies to have ticket quotas. Those states include Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

While ticket quotas for police officers in Ohio are not illegal, legislation was introduced in 2023 that would eliminate the practice. That legislation has yet to be passed.

 

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