COLUMBUS, Ohio (WOWO)— A new Ohio law will expand the state’s vehicular homicide and vehicular assault statutes to cover golf carts, motor scooters and other low-speed vehicles after lawmakers moved to close a gap in the state’s criminal code.
Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 533 on July 7, adding additional vehicle types to Ohio’s existing laws that allow drivers to face criminal charges when reckless or unsafe operation causes death or serious injury according to WCMH.
The law takes effect Oct. 6, 2026.
The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Kevin Miller, R-Newark, passed unanimously in the Ohio House in March and later received unanimous approval from the Senate in June.
Under current Ohio law, vehicular homicide and vehicular assault statutes apply to vehicles including cars, motorcycles, utility vehicles, mini-trucks, snowmobiles, locomotives, watercraft and aircraft.
House Bill 533 expands that definition to include:
- Under-speed vehicles, including golf carts
- Motorized bicycles
- Mopeds
- Motor scooters
- All-purpose vehicles, or APVs
The legislation does not create new criminal offenses or increase existing penalties. Instead, it clarifies that drivers operating those types of vehicles can be prosecuted under the state’s current vehicular homicide and vehicular assault laws.
“Anyone operating these kinds of vehicles has an obligation to do so safely and responsibly,” Miller said in a statement. “An operator whose unsafe driving causes the injury or death of another person should be held accountable. This legislation ensures the Ohio Revised Code better reflects the range of modern modes of transportation.”
Miller said prosecutors brought the issue to his attention after discovering they could not pursue vehicular homicide charges in a case involving a person who allegedly caused a fatal crash while operating a golf cart.
During testimony before lawmakers, Independence Police Chief Robert Butler, who also serves as president of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, said the previous law created a technical problem for prosecutors and law enforcement.
“This is a technicality that leaves victims’ families without the recourse they deserve and prevents law enforcement from applying the appropriate level of accountability,” Butler said. “HB 533 ensures that the law focuses on the harm caused to the victim, rather than the mechanical classification of the vehicle used.”
The bill received support from prosecutors and traffic safety advocates during legislative hearings. No opponents testified against the measure.
According to the Ohio Legislative Service Commission, the state sees about 400 at-fault crashes involving low-speed vehicles each year.
Supporters of the change say the updated law is intended to make accountability consistent regardless of whether a deadly crash involves a traditional vehicle or a newer form of transportation such as a golf cart or motor scooter.
