Recently enacted legislation in Ohio is supposed to curtail the notorious mayor’s courts many small municipalities use to collect speeding ticket revenue from passing motorists. However, based on recent news accounts, one of the most infamous speed trap towns in the country, Linndale, may not go down without a fight. The tiny town (population 179) has continued to book court dates beyond the date the law took effect and is considering a lawsuit. After all, Linndale raises 80 percent of its $1 million annual budget from traffic tickets.
Let’s see where else motorists need to be on the lookout in the Buckeye State.
This information comes from the NMA’s National Speed Trap Exchange (http://www.speedtrap.org/), a unique website that gives drivers an opportunity to report on and exchange comments about predatory speed traps they have encountered on their travels.
We encourage you to send a link to this blog to those you know who live or travel in Ohio. Remember, an informed driver is a safer driver.
Five Highest Activity Speed Trap Locations
1. Linndale: I-71
214 Reports 97% Acknowledgement Rate*
“Linndale has about 3/4 miles north and south. They have no entrance or exit ramp in their village limits. The will nail their own mother to give a ticket. They don’t allow anything over the limit. They have been profiled on the local news many times for their aggressive ticketing. You go from Cleveland to Linndale to Cleveland in a matter of seconds on this small piece of interstate.”
2. Poland: State Route 224
99 Reports 97% Acknowledgement Rate
“Going west on State Route 224 from PA into Ohio. As soon as you go into Ohio that’s Poland Township. After 4 miles through Poland Township you will enter Poland Village. The speed limit is 35MPH. This is a hot spot for police catching speeders. Right before you get to the bridge the speed limit drops to 25MPH. The Poland village police sit in various parking lots and side streets. Beware to anyone in Pennsylvania going through here.”
3. Parma Heights: W130 South of Pearl Road
87 Reports 97% Acknowledgement Rate
“SUV white vehicle with very small police logo on door sits in front of A-Z Travel Agency right side north on W130, 1/4 mile before Pear Road across from Southland Shopping Center.”
4. Woodville : Woodville, Ohio on U.S. Rte. 20
80 Reports 94% Acknowledgement Rate
“This is one of the most notorious speed traps in NW Ohio. And they’re proud of it! At the east end of this little hamlet is a restaurant called. . . what else? The Speed Trap, complete with a full-size, vintage police car on the roof. It’s what you might call a cherished cult-like speed trap.”
5. Hanging Rock: US 52
74 Reports 99% Acknowledgement Rate
“This bump on the map is a trap for sure. Was pulled over going 84 (Yeah right). I had cruise control set on 55 as I had my two kids and wife in the car and am well aware of their history. Ol’ sparky had his clip on tie hanging from a collar with the top button undone.”
Ten Ohio Cities with Most Reported Speed Traps (for the Last Five Years)
Rank | City | Number of Speed Traps | Acknowledgement Rate |
1 | 43 | 83% | |
2 | 28 | 70% | |
3 | 23 | 85% | |
4 | 20 | 89% | |
5 | 17 | 81% | |
6 | 16 | 90% | |
7 | 15 | 85% | |
8 | 11 | 62% | |
8 | 11 | 50% | |
8 | 11 | 90% | |
9 | 10 | 85% | |
10 | 9 | 84% |
* Acknowledgement rate is the percentage of yes votes to total votes by motorists indicating whether the reported locations, in their opinions, are actually speed traps. Data are available at the links provided.
About The National Speed Trap Exchange
With the development of The National Speed Trap Exchange (http://www.speedtrap.org/) more than 10 years ago, the National Motorists Association pioneered the use of interactive media to alert motorists to potential speed trap activity in their communities. Since then the site has reported on nearly 80,000 speed traps throughout the United States and Canada.
