Section 4511.51 - Hitchhiking - soliciting employment, business, or contributions from occupant of vehicle(A) No person while on a roadway outside a safety zone shall solicit a ride from the driver of any vehicle.(B)(1) Except as provided in division (B)(2) of this section, no person shall stand on a highway for the purpose of soliciting employment, business, or contributions from the occupant of any vehicle.(2) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation, by ordinance, may authorize the issuance of a permit to a charitable organization to allow a person acting on behalf of the organization to solicit charitable contributions from the occupant of a vehicle by standing on a highway, other than a freeway as provided in division (A)(1) of section 4511.051 of the Revised Code, that is under the jurisdiction of the municipal corporation. The permit shall be valid for only one period of time, which shall be specified in the permit, in any calendar year. The legislative authority also may specify the locations where contributions may be solicited and may impose any other restrictions on or requirements regarding the manner in which the solicitations are to be conducted that the legislative authority considers advisable.(3) As used in division (B)(2) of this section, "charitable organization" means an organization that has received from the internal revenue service a currently valid ruling or determination letter recognizing the tax-exempt status of the organization pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the "Internal Revenue Code."(C) No person shall hang onto or ride on the outside of any motor vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley while it is moving upon a roadway, except mechanics or test engineers making repairs or adjustments, or workers performing specialized highway or street maintenance or construction under authority of a public agency.(D) No operator shall knowingly permit any person to hang onto, or ride on the outside of, any motor vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley while it is moving upon a roadway, except mechanics or test engineers making repairs or adjustments, or workers performing specialized highway or street maintenance or construction under authority of a public agency.(E) No driver of a truck, trailer, or semitrailer shall knowingly permit any person who has not attained the age of sixteen years to ride in the unenclosed or unroofed cargo storage area of the driver's vehicle if the vehicle is traveling faster than twenty-five miles per hour, unless either of the following applies: (1) The cargo storage area of the vehicle is equipped with a properly secured seat to which is attached a seat safety belt that is in compliance with federal standards for an occupant restraining device as defined in division (A)(2) of section 4513.263 of the Revised Code, the seat and seat safety belt were installed at the time the vehicle was originally assembled, and the person riding in the cargo storage area is in the seat and is wearing the seat safety belt;(2) An emergency exists that threatens the life of the driver or the person being transported in the cargo storage area of the truck, trailer, or semitrailer.(F) No driver of a truck, trailer, or semitrailer shall permit any person, except for those workers performing specialized highway or street maintenance or construction under authority of a public agency, to ride in the cargo storage area or on a tailgate of the driver's vehicle while the tailgate is unlatched.(G)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this division, whoever violates any provision of divisions (A) to (D) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one predicate motor vehicle or traffic offense, whoever violates any provision of divisions (A) to (D) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of two or more predicate motor vehicle or traffic offenses, whoever violates any provision of divisions (A) to (D) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.(2) Whoever violates division (E) or (F) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.Effective Date: 1/1/2004.