Some of the Important California Traffic Laws That You Should Know

 

From 1990 to 2009, only four US states have maintained a recorded amount of more than a thousand deaths caused by road accidents. These States are, from the highest to the lowest; California, Texas, Florida, and New York.

The reason why California records the highest number of road-related accidents among all US states is because of high traffic volume that are situated in key cities such as Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Because of this, the state strongly imposes certain traffic laws that help decrease the ever growing number of deaths, injuries and property damages caused by single, dual, and multiple vehicle collisions.

Here are some of the important traffic laws being implemented all throughout California:

•    Mandatory seat belt law
Every driver and passenger must be restrained by seat belts and/or safety seats. However, those with medical ailments are not required to wear seatbelts unless a notice from the physician is provided.

•    Laws related to the use of safety helmets
Motorcycle users aged 18 and above are required to wear a safety helmet when driving. A safety helmet must meet the standards of the Department of Transportation and other driver safety institutions. Minors and children who use bicycles, roller skates, non-motor scooters, and skateboards are also required to use helmets suitable for the use of the aforementioned vehicles.

•    Laws regarding the use of mobile phones while inside the vehicle
Drivers must always use hands-free equipment when receiving a call or trying to call someone using the mobile phone while driving. The year 2009 saw the implementation of a text messaging law, wherein reading, writing or typing down a text message using text-based communication is prohibited. This applies to all drivers, licensed or not.

Injuries and fatalities in road-related accidents cannot be avoided. However, trying to ease the ever-growing statistics must always start with the compliance of every driver and passenger to these important California laws. For more information about other related traffic laws, it would be helpful to contact a vehicle accident lawyer based in the California area.