Traffic Diversion Program

Welcome to the Traffic Diversion Program of Columbus City Attorney, Richard C. Pfeiffer, Jr. Here you can learn about the Traffic Diversion Program’s goals and the details of the program.

Goals  

Eligibility  

Outcome  

Questions or Comments  

GOALS

The Columbus City Attorney’s Traffic Diversion Program is part of an ongoing effort to provide efficient and just service to the residents of the City of Columbus. Accordingly, the Traffic Diversion Program’s main goals are to:

  • Promote safe driving. By requiring every applicant in the Traffic Diversion Program to complete an accredited Defensive Driving  course, the Columbus City Attorney seeks to make Columbus’ streets safer for everyone.
  • Promote driver financial responsibility. Recognizing a growing problem with uninsured drivers on Ohio roadways, the Columbus City Attorney will require every Traffic Diversion Program applicant to provide proof of insurance. Because every applicant in the Traffic Diversion Program is required to have and maintain proof of insurance on their vehicle, the City Attorney will reduce the number of uninsured drivers on Columbus streets.
  • Promote legal vehicular operation. Along with uninsured drivers, the Columbus City Attorney recognizes the growing number of drivers with no driving privileges or suspended driving privileges. The Traffic Diversion Program is specifically designed to address this growing problem by requiring all applicants to possess valid driver’s licenses and to take the necessary steps to stay valid.
  • Efficiently resolve cases. The Traffic Diversion Program is designed to free up valuable prosecutorial resources, allowing the City Attorney’s staff to focus on more complex criminal cases. In addition, because the Applicant pays the cost of the program and the underlying traffic case, the City Attorney is able to offer this program with no additional costs to the taxpayers of the City of Columbus.

The Traffic Diversion Program is a valuable tool in Columbus City Attorney Richard C. Pfeiffer, Jr.’s ongoing efforts to serve the City of Columbus with initiatives designed to protect the public, promote lawful conduct, and reduce inefficiency in the criminal justice system without decreasing services to Columbus residents. If you have any questions about this Program, please click here .

 

ELIGIBILITY

If you meet the below listed eligibility requirements, you are not automatically enrolled in the Traffic Diversion Program.  You must appear in traffic arraignment court on the date specified on your ticket and be approved for enrollment by Prosecutor Division personnel.

In order to be eligible for the Traffic Diversion program, you must meet the following requirements:

  • You have been charged with an eligible offense. What is an “eligible offense ”?
  • You have not previously taken advantage of the Traffic Diversion Program.
  • You are able to pay court costs and a non-refundable Traffic Diversion Program application fee of $25.
  • You complete an approved defensive driving course.

 

“Eligible offense” includes most Minor Misdemeanor moving violations, but specifically excludes offenses such as: Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle, offenses committed in a school or construction zone as defined by statute, Failure to Yield to an Emergency or School vehicle, cases involving accidents, and offenses deemed to be severe infractions. “Eligible offenses” also includes certain Operating Without a License and Driving Under Suspension Charges, but specifically excludes offenses such as: driving under a repeat offender suspension, driving under an OVI or ALS suspension (related to drunk driving), and driving under a drug suspension.

“Satisfactory traffic and criminal record” means that you currently have no more than two moving violation in the past 2 years on your traffic record. Additionally, you must have no prior convictions for serious traffic offenses involving drunk driving, hit-skip, fleeing or eluding, failure to obey the order of an officer, vehicular manslaughter or vehicular homicide. Additionally, you may not be eligible if your driving record indicates that you are a repeat offender for the offense you are seeking to divert. Prior felony arrests, convictions or offenses of violence or multiple prior criminal convictions may also disqualify you.

“Requirements for current proof of insurance” means that you did not have insurance at the time of the offense, but that you are able to purchase and prepay for six months of insurance means that you did not have insurance at the time of the offense, but that you are able to purchase and prepay for six months of insurance on your vehicle. In order to demonstrate your current proof of insurance, you must bring with you your insurance card indicating at least three months of coverage, and a certified letter from your insurance agent indicating that your insurance has been pre-paid for three months.

If you have any questions about the specific details of our program, please contact a Prosecutor Division Law Clerk  or, in the alternative, if your question has not been answered by the law clerk you may contact Melanie R. Tobias, Appellate Unit Director.

 

OUTCOME

If you successfully complete the Traffic Diversion Program, the charge against you will be dismissed upon payment of court costs and the non-refundable administrative fee. No offense information will be reported to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and no points will be assessed against your license.

 

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS

If you have any questions or comments regarding the Traffic Diversion Program, please see one of the following:

All requests by media or community organizations, as well as any general comments about the program should be addressed to: Richard C. Pfeiffer, Jr., Columbus City Attorney or Robert S. Tobias, Prosecution Resources Unit Director.

If you have questions about your eligibility for the program or if you have already entered the program and have a specific question, please contact a Prosecutor Division Law Clerk, or, in the alternative, if your question has not been answered by the law clerk you may contact Melanie R. Tobias, Appellate Unit Director.