Automotive
Youngstown, Ohio, ordinance prohibits running out of gas in downtown district
A local rule imposes escalating misdemeanor fines on drivers who enter a specific downtown area without enough fuel to exit.
The short version
- Youngstown, Ohio, enforces Ordinance 331.44, which bans driving in a designated downtown congested district without sufficient fuel to leave the area.
- The rule covers the zone bounded by Chestnut, Walnut, Boardman, and Commerce Streets to prevent traffic blockages and collisions.
- Penalties for running out of gas range from a $150 fine for a first offense up to $500 for repeated offenses within a year.
Key facts
- Youngstown Ordinance 331.44 prohibits operating a vehicle within a downtown district bounded by Chestnut, Walnut, Boardman, and Commerce Streets without adequate fuel to drive out of the area.[Jalopnik]
- Under Ohio state code, violations escalate from a minor misdemeanor carrying up to a $150 fine for a first offense to a third-degree misdemeanor with up to a $500 fine for subsequent offenses within one year.[Jalopnik]
- Courts may order community service if an offender fails to pay the fine for violating the ordinance.[Jalopnik]
- A 2018 AAA study estimated that 24 million Americans drive after their low-fuel warning light turns on.[Jalopnik]