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California

June 2009


Aggressive Driving Laws

Aggressive Driver Actions

Comments

Causing certain bodily injuries to people other than driver. Specifically cites drivers engaged in speed contests. Amended reckless driving law to include aggressive driver actions.
Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Cell Phone Driving Laws

Handheld Ban

All Cell Phone Ban

Text Messaging Ban

Enforcement

Crash
Data
Collected

Pre-
emption
Law

School Bus Drivers

Novice Drivers

All Drivers

School Bus Drivers

Novice Drivers

Yes

Yes

<18

Yes

Covered under all driver ban

Covered under all driver ban

Primary

Yes

 

Sources: American Automobile Association (AAA), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Child Passenger Safety Laws

Child Restraint Required
unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.)

Adult seat belt Permissible
unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.)

Maximum Fine
First Offense

<5 (or <60) in a rear seat

6 - 15 (or >60)

$100

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.

Drug Impaired Driving Laws

Per Se Laws for Drugs
(Forbidding Prohibited Substances in
Driver's Body)

DEC/DRE Programs
(Providing Law Enforcement Training)

 

Yes

Source: State Highway Safety Offices.

Drunk Driving Laws

Admin. License
Suspension on
First Offense

Limited Driving Privileges During Suspension

Increased Penalties for High Blood Alc. Concen-
tration (BAC)

Open Container Laws

Repeat Offender Laws

Vehicle and License
Plate
Sanctions

Ignition Inter-
locks

Alcohol Exclusion Laws Limiting Treatment Opportunity

4 months

After 30 days

.15

Yes

 

Impoundment, vehicle confiscation

Discretionary

Yes

Sources:Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Laws

Learner Stage

Intermediate Stage

Full Privilege
Min. Age
(Yrs./Mos.)

Required
Supervised
Driving (Hrs.)
(Nighttime hours in parenthesis)

Min.
Age
(Yrs./
Mos.)

Min. Duration
(Mos.)

Min. Age
(Yrs./Mos.)

Nighttime Driving Restriction

Passenger
Restriction*
(* family members
exempt)

15 / 6

6

16

11 p.m. - 5 a.m.

First 12 mos.–no pass. <20 unless supervised by >25-yr. old driver*

17

50 (10)

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) , American Automobile Association (AAA) and State Highway Safety Offices.

Helmet Laws

Motorcyclists

Bicyclists

All Helmet Law

Partial Law

All Helmet Law Repealed

1992

 

 

<18

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Mature Driver Laws

Length of Regular Renewal Cycle (Yrs.)

Provisions for Mature Drivers

5

No renewal by mail for >70

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Seat Belt Laws

Type of Law

Who is Covered
(Yrs.)

In What Seat

Maximum Fine
First Offense

Primary >16 All $20
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Segway Laws

Permitted on Sidewalks/Bicycle Paths

Permitted on Roads

Helmets Required

Minimum Age

Pedestrian Laws Apply

Sidewalks and bicycle paths, except where regulated by local jurisdiction

Yes

 

 

Yes

Sources: Segway LLC and State Highway Safety Offices.
Sobriety Checkpoint Laws

Checkpoints Conducted?

Comments

Yes

Once or twice a month

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Speed Limit Laws

Rural Interstates

Urban Interstates

Other Limited Access Roads

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

70 55 65 55 70 55

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Speed and Red Light Cameras

State Law

Viola-
tions

Loca-
tion

Citation Issued to Whom

Liability

Image

Tradi-
tional Enforce-
ment Penalties

Records/ Points/ Penalties

Defenses

Privacy

P10er-
mitted

Red light; rail crossing

Various

Registered owner

Driver

Tag and driver

$100; 1 point

Same as for traditional citation

Driver not owner - owner must identify driver

Photo may be used only for purposes of the Act; available only to registered owner or driver

Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Work Zone Speed Limit Laws

Multiple of Original Fine

Violations Affected

Workers Must Be Present

Double

Various

Yes

Sources: National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse and State Highway Safety Offices.