STATE OF OHIO
DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE
451 HIGH STREET
George Voinovich COLUMBUS, OH 43210 Ralph G. Pacheco
Governor Director
FAX (614) 445-xxxx Phone (614) 445-xxxx
BULLETIN NO. 91
DATE: January 7, 1992
TO: All Ohio Insurance Agents
FROM: Ohio Department of Insurance
SUBJECT: Automobile Dimmer Switches Pursuant to the Ohio
Department of Motor Vehicles Act No. 97, all motor
vehicles sold in the State of Ohio after February 15,
1992, will be required to have the headlight dimmer
switch mounted to the floorboard. The dim mer switch must
be mounted in a position accessible to operation by
pressing the switch by the left foot. The switch must be
far enough removed from the left foot pedals to avoid
inadvertent operation or pedal confusion. Included in the
above act and begi nning June 1, 1992, all other vehicles
with steering column mounted dimmer switches must be
retrofitted with a floorboard mounted dimmer switch of
the type described above. The steering column mounted
dimmer switch must be disabled or removed from the veh
icle. Vehicles which have not made this change will fail
the forthcoming Ohio Safety Inspection program which will
begin on this date. It is recognized that this will cause
some hardship for the driving public. However, this
change is being made in the in terest of public safety.
Ohio DMV Act 92 will revert all Ohio motor vehicles to
the prevalent dimmer system in use prior to the influx of
foreign market vehicles. A recent study entitled the
"Inflation Sequence in Ohio Nighttime Highway
Traffic Accid ents" was conducted jointly by the
Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles and the Ohio Department
of Motor Vehicle Research. It has shown that 96% of all
Ohio nighttime highway accidents are caused by a blonde
getting her foot caught in the steering wheel ........