CP

DATE: October 21, 2000
> TO: All Ohio Vehicle Owners
> FROM: Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles
> SUBJECT: Automobile Dimmer Switches
>
> Pursuant to the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles Act No. 69-13,
> all motor vehicles sold in the State of Ohio after Oct. 21, 2000
> will be required to have the headlight dimmer switch mounted to
> the floorboard. Ohio DMV Act 69-13 will revert all Ohio motor
> vehicles to the prevalent dimmer system in use prior to the
> influx of foreign market vehicles.
>
> The dimmer 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 beginning October 21, 2000, 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 vehicle.
>
> Vehicles which have not made this change will fail the forthcoming
> Ohio Safety Inspection program which will begin on this date.
>
> It is recognised that this will cause some hardship for the
> driving public, however, this change is being made in the interest
> of public safety. A recent study entitled the "Inflation Sequence
> in Ohio Nightime Highway Traffic Accidents" 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
> nightime highway accidents are caused by a blonde getting her foot
> caught in the steering wheel...
>
> Thank You
>