Accident Response Fees

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Since it was first implemented last year, Wyoming's (MI) crash tax has been on a collision course with common sense. A blow to business and a "keep out" sign to visitors, the ordinance - which charges those found at fault in automobile wrecks for the cost of responding to accidents - deserves to go.
—Grand Rapids Press, December 22, 2007


New! Nelsonville accident fee proposal (Feb. 2016). An ordinance to bill insurance companies for routine services provided by its fire department is under consideration in Nelsonville, Ohio. Click here for our accident fee backgrounder provided to local officials. Virginia senate committee says no to accident response fee bill. SB 881 would have allowed volunteer fire and emergency services departments responding to emergency automobile accidents. Read more. A fourth Dayton-area community voted out accident response fees. Sugarcreek Twp. suspends its contract to bill at-fault drivers for accident scene assistance. Read more. Triple play! Miami Twp. Ohio joins neighboring communities of Springfield and Franklin in canceling/non renewing its accident response fee collections program. Read more. “Right is right and wrong is wrong…And this was wrong,” said Franklin OH City Manager Sonny Lewis in reaction to the community’s decision to cancel its accident response fee billing contract with a local vendor. Read more. The Dayton Daily News uncovers accident fee billing company markups of up to 268%! “That’s like taking money out of the citizens’ pocket and putting it into the pocket of the middleman,” says Franklin Twp. Mayor Dennis Centers. Read story Springfield Ohio ends its contract with accident response fee biller when an investigation finds the company charged drivers twice what was allowed. Read all about it. View the video. Accident response fees may actually generate more ill will than revenue for local communities. This is just one of the findings in this November 6 Dayton Daily News story. Ohio resident takes action against accident response fees in Macedonia OH causing a full-blown investigation. End result: City suspends its program! Read all about it in the Akron Beacon Journal series by Phil Trexler and Bob Dyer. 1) Macedonia hires collection agency to charge fees for police, fire crash response (July 17) 2) Macedonia’s money grab is a disgrace (July 18) 3) Legislator considers bill aimed at Macedonia crash tax (July 20) 4) Macedonia to end program billing out-of-town drivers (July 22) Most Ohio insurers don’t cover accident response fees. That’s because accident response fees aren’t usually part of auto insurance coverage. Our findings help city officials determine fee viability as a revenue stream. More say no to fees: • South St. Paul MN officials table initial reading of its crash fee ordinance • NYC drops its accident fee proposal • Oceanside joins Sacramento, Roseville and Huntington Beach in repealing accident fee ordinances in CA • Tulsa OK doesn’t “okay” its accident fee proposal
	14 states ban or restrict accident response fees Some states like Ohio have home rule laws that prevent statewide legislative bans to accident fees. In such states, the focus is on educating local officials and residents as proposals surface. When provided the facts, residents and officials have a better understanding that accident fee revenue expectations are unrealistic, they don’t solve budget deficits, and imposing them can be detrimental to local development. 2013 • Virginia’s Senate General Laws Committee defeated SB 881 that would have allowed local municipalities to bill insurers for emergency services at crash sites. 2011 • Kansas passed legislation, effective July 1. House Bill 2119 places restrictions on local governments levying a fee charged for emergency response services at the scene of an accident. • Arizona and Utah become the 11th & 12th states to pass legislation House Bill 2003 is awaiting the signature of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer limiting accident response fees. The bill prohibits local government from charging crash taxes for emergency services response but it does allow some fees in rural areas outside of fire districts. • Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed SB 273 into law on March 22. It places restrictions on local governments charging accident response fees, allowing a local entity to bill "at-fault" motorists for actual costs associated with providing medical treatment and transportation, debris clean-up and roadway repair. It also prohibits billing for "engine fees" and flat "response fees." 2010 • AL passes legislation to ban fees • Alabama became the 10th state to outlaw accident fees. Governor Bob Riley signed HB 306 into law on April 29th. 2009 3 states pass legislation; LA passes a statewide resolution • Louisiana’s Senate and House unanimously passed HCR 147, directing local governing authorities and emergency service providers to cease the practice of imposing accident response fees. It was filed with the Secretary of State in June ’09. • Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry signed HB 2013 into law on May 28 '09 effective immediately, banning law enforcement fees for accident response or investigation. • Florida’s bill SB 2282 became effective July 1 '09. • Arkansas passed HB 1895 prohibiting accident response fees. The bill was signed by Gov. Beebe on April 6 ‘09 and is now Arkansas Act 973. 2008 5 states pass bills to ban fees • Georgia (SB 348) was signed on May 16 ‘08 effective immediately • Tennessee (HB 2547- Public Chapter No. 651) effective March 28 ‘09 • Missouri (SB 66) effective Jan. 1 ‘08 • Pennsylvania (HB 131) effective Feb. 18 ‘08 • Indiana’s (SB 81) bill banning police fees became law on July 1 ‘08
FACTS ON FEES…Get the facts before you act.

This information is provided to help in understanding Ohio municipal accident response fees that are being considered, proposed and passed by local governments. These are fees charged to insurance companies for police and fire departments responding to auto accidents. Insurance companies and agents across the state recognize the services provided by local law enforcement and fire officials. Their services are crucial to the safety of all Ohioans and are intended to benefit each and every individual in a community, whether they have insurance or not. Placing an additional fee on insurance is not a fair and equal distribution of the cost of these public services.

For more information, contact us at info@accidentresponsefees.com.