Following is an overview of some driving laws of general interest. For an official and comprehensive listing and explanation of State of California regulations governing the operation of motor vehicles, contact the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
- Driving Visibility. Effective July 1, 2005, you are required to drive with your headlights on during inclement weather - rain, fog, mist, snow or other conditions that may lessen visibility.
- Driver under Age 20. Vehicle Section 12814.6 prohibits a provisional licensee, during the first 12 months of being licensed, from carrying passengers under the age of 20, unless accompanied by a licensed parent, guardian, licensed and certified instructor or a licensed driver age 25 years or older. It also prohibits a provisional licensee from driving between the hours of 11 PM and 5 AM.
- Vehicle Speed Contest. Increases the jail time to at least 30 days and to a maximum of six (6) months for a person found guilty of engaging in a motor vehicle speed contest and when the driver causes injury to someone other than the driver. If it is a second or subsequent offense, and serious bodily injury occurs, the jail time is increased to a maximum of one year.
- 21720 VC: Pocket Bikes shall not be ridden anywhere other than on private property with the owner's permission.
- 12814.6: Provisional Licenses. Provisionally licensed drivers have more curfew time - changed from midnight to 11 PM
Also, they may not transport passengers under the age of 20 for the first year. This is now retroactive for provisionally licensed drivers in the 6-month to one year period. This means that a current provisionally licensed driver who, under the former regulation, was able to drive with passengers under age 20, may not longer do that until one year from the date the provisional license was issued.
- Children required to ride in the back seat of a vehicle. All children under the age of six (6), or weighing less than 60 pounds, must be secured in a child restraint system in the back seat - except if:
There is no back seat;
Back seats are side-facing jump seats or rear-facing seats;
Car seat or booster seat cannot be placed properly in th back seat;
Other children already occupy the back seat(s);
Child cannot ride in the back seat for medical reasons.
- Motor Scooters. The operator of a motor scooter must possess a California instruction permit or a valid California license. Cities and counties are authorized to pass ordinances to regulation operation of motorized scooters on local streets and highways. It also requires that scooters meet specified exhaust and noise requirements, and that manufacturers provide information for lawful operation. (All new laws apply to motorized, gas-powered, and electric scooters.)
- Headlights. Drivers are required to put on vehicle headlights in inclement weather, which is any condition preventing a driver from clearly seeing a person or other vehicles on the highway within 1000 feet.
- Windshield Wipers. Drivers are required to have the vehicle windshield wipers in continuous mode during rain, mist, snow, fog, or other types of precipitation that causes moisture to form on the windshield.
Traffic Safety Tips
For more information, please call Traffic Bureau at 510-7272
Additional Information:
California Department of Motor Vehicles
California Vehicle Code
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