Ohio Rev. Code » Chapter 4511 - Ohio Revised Code | Ohio Laws
Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 4511.04 (2026)

Exception to traffic rules

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section ORCcodes.ohio.gov (official) Justiaon Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar
Effective:
June 30, 2017
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 26 - 132nd General Assembly
PDF:
Download Authenticated PDF
 

(A) Sections 4511.01 to 4511.18, 4511.20 to 4511.78, 4511.99, and 4513.01 to 4513.37 of the Revised Code do not apply to persons, teams, motor vehicles, and other equipment while actually engaged in work upon the surface of a highway within an area designated by traffic control devices, but apply to such persons and vehicles when traveling to or from such work.

(B) The driver of a highway maintenance vehicle owned by this state or any political subdivision of this state, while the driver is engaged in the performance of official duties upon a street or highway, provided the highway maintenance vehicle is equipped with flashing lights and such other markings as are required by law and such lights are in operation when the driver and vehicle are so engaged, shall be exempt from criminal prosecution for violations of sections 4511.22, 4511.25, 4511.26, 4511.27, 4511.28, 4511.30, 4511.31, 4511.33, 4511.35, 4511.66, 4513.02, and 5577.01 to 5577.09 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1) This section does not exempt a driver of a highway maintenance vehicle from civil liability arising from a violation of section 4511.22, 4511.25, 4511.26, 4511.27, 4511.28, 4511.30, 4511.31, 4511.33, 4511.35, 4511.66, or 4513.02 or sections 5577.01 to 5577.09 of the Revised Code.

(2) This section does not exempt a driver of a vehicle who is not a state employee and who is engaged in the transport of highway maintenance equipment from criminal liability for a violation of sections 5577.01 to 5577.09 of the Revised Code.

(D) As used in this section, "engaged in the performance of official duties" includes driving a highway maintenance vehicle to and from the manufacturer or vehicle maintenance provider and transporting a highway maintenance vehicle, equipment, or materials to and from a work location.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases, 1956–2001 · leading case: Econ. Fire & Cas. Co. v. Craft Gen. Contractors, Inc., 455 N.E.2d 1037 (Ohio Ct. App. 1982).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
Econ. Fire & Cas. Co. v. Craft Gen. Contractors, Inc., 455 N.E.2d 1037 (Ohio Ct. App. 1982). · cites it 8× “The Court erred in finding that O.R.C. 4511.04 requires flashing lights on defendant’s vehicle.”
Muenchenbach v. Preble Cnty., 742 N.E.2d 1128 (Ohio 2001). “) However, the application of a use standard is entirely consistent with the traffic law exemptions granted under R.C. 4511.04, which provides: *147 “Sections 4511.”
Muenchenbach v. Preble Cty., 2001 Ohio 244 (Ohio 2001). “) {¶ 24} However, the application of a use standard is entirely consistent with the traffic law exemptions granted under R.C. 4511.04, which provides: “Sections 4511.”
Ray v. Columbus (City), 145 N.E.2d 482 (Ohio Ct. App. 1956). · cites it 2× “5: “The barricade described in the preceding paragraph of these findings, located as therein recited, qualified as ‘traffic control devices’ under §4511.04 R. C. (§6307.4 GC) to designate the area in which the city’s equipment was actually engaged in work upon the surface of the…”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.