Article 2 - Additional Driving Rules

California Vehicle Code — §§ 21700-21721

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Sections (24)

Amended by Stats. 1965, Ch. 1500.

No person shall drive a vehicle when it is so loaded, or when there are in the front seat such number of persons as to obstruct the view of the driver to the front or sides of the vehicle or as to interfere with the driver’s control over the driving mechanism of the vehicle.

Added by Stats. 1972, Ch. 1124.

No person shall knowingly drive a bus within the City of San Diego which is transporting any public or private school pupil who is enrolled in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to or from a public or private school, unless every such pupil is seated in a seat.

Enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3.

No person shall wilfully interfere with the driver of a vehicle or with the mechanism thereof in such manner as to affect the driver’s control of the vehicle. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a drivers’ license examiner or other employee of the Department of Motor Vehicles when conducting the road or driving test of an applicant for a driver’s license nor to a person giving instruction as a part of a course in driver training conducted by a public school, educational institution or a driver training school licensed by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 1092, Sec. 391. Effective September 27, 1983. Operative January 1, 1984, by Sec. 427 of Ch. 1092.

(a)No person shall drive upon any highway any vehicle designed or used for transporting persons for compensation for more than 10 consecutive hours nor for more than 10 hours spread over a total of 15 consecutive hours. Thereafter, such person shall not drive any such vehicle until eight consecutive hours have elapsed.

Regardless of aggregate driving time, no driver shall drive for more than 10 hours in any 24-hour period unless eight consecutive hours off duty have elapsed.

(b)No person shall drive upon any highway any vehicle designed or used for transporting merchandise, freight, materials or other property for more than 12 consecutive hours nor for more than 12 hours spread over a total of 15 consecutive hours. Thereafter, such person shall not drive any such vehicle until eight consecutive hours have elapsed.

Regardless of aggregate driving time, no driver shall drive for more than 12 hours in any 24-hour period unless eight consecutive hours off duty have elapsed.

(c)This section does not apply in any case of casualty or unavoidable accident or an act of God.
(d)In computing the number of hours under this section, any time spent by a person in driving such a vehicle outside this state shall, upon the vehicle entering this state, be included.
(e)Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each offense.
(f)This section shall not apply to the driver of a vehicle which is subject to the provisions of Section 34500.

Enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3.

The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicle and the traffic upon, and the condition of, the roadway.

Amended by Stats. 1969, Ch. 226.

(a)The driver of any motor vehicle subject to the speed restriction of Section 22406 that is operated outside of a business or residence district, shall keep the vehicle he is driving at a distance of not less than 300 feet to the rear of any other motor vehicle subject to such speed restriction which is preceding it.
(b)The provisions of this section shall not prevent overtaking and passing nor shall they apply upon a highway with two or more lanes for traffic in the direction of travel.

Enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3.

Motor vehicles being driven outside of a business or residence district in a caravan or motorcade, whether or not towing other vehicles, shall be so operated as to allow sufficient space and in no event less than 100 feet between each vehicle or combination of vehicles so as to enable any other vehicle to overtake or pass.

Amended by Stats. 1972, Ch. 46.

No motor vehicle, except an authorized emergency vehicle, shall follow within 300 feet of any authorized emergency vehicle being operated under the provisions of Section 21055.

This section shall not apply to a police or traffic officer when serving as an escort within the purview of Section 21057.

Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 375, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2007.

(a)For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1)“Emergency incident zone” means an area on a freeway that is within 500 feet of, and in the direction of travel of, a stationary authorized emergency vehicle that has its emergency lights activated. Traffic in the opposite lanes of the freeway is not in an “emergency incident zone.”
(2)“Operate a vehicle in an unsafe manner” means operating a motor vehicle in violation of an act made unlawful under this division, except a violation of Section 21809.
(b)A person shall not operate a vehicle in an unsafe manner within an emergency incident zone.

Enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3.

No motor vehicle, except an authorized emergency vehicle or a vehicle of a duly authorized member of a fire or police department, shall be operated within the block wherein an emergency situation responded to by any fire department vehicle exists, except that in the event the nearest intersection to the emergency is more than 300 feet therefrom, this section shall prohibit operation of vehicles only within 300 feet of the emergency, unless directed to do so by a member of the fire department or police department, sheriff, deputy sheriff, or member of the California Highway Patrol. The emergency shall be deemed to have ceased to exist when the official of the fire department in charge at the scene of the emergency shall so indicate. Officials of the fire department or police department or the Department of the California Highway Patrol who are present shall make every effort to prevent the closing off entirely of congested highway traffic passing the scene of any such emergency.

Enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3.

No person shall drive or propel any vehicle or conveyance upon, over, or across, or in any manner damage any fire hose or chemical hose used by or under the supervision and control of any organized fire department. However, any vehicle may cross a hose provided suitable jumpers or other appliances are installed to protect the hose.

Enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3.

No vehicle shall at any time be driven through or within a safety zone.

Enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3.

The driver of a motor vehicle when traveling on down grade upon any highway shall not coast with the gears of such vehicle in neutral.

Amended by Stats. 1959, Ch. 44.

No person shall operate a train of vehicles when any vehicle being towed whips or swerves from side to side or fails to follow substantially in the path of the towing vehicle.

Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 900, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007.

(a)A person driving a motor vehicle shall not knowingly permit a person to ride on a vehicle or upon a portion of a vehicle that is not designed or intended for the use of passengers.
(b)A person shall not ride on a vehicle or upon a portion of a vehicle that is not designed or intended for the use of passengers.
(c)A person driving a motor vehicle shall not knowingly permit a person to ride in the trunk of that motor vehicle.
(d)A person shall not ride in the trunk of a motor vehicle.
(e)A person violating subdivision (c) or (d) shall be punished as follows:
(1)By a fine of one hundred dollars ($100).
(2)For a second violation occurring within one year of a prior violation that resulted in a conviction, a fine of two hundred dollars ($200).
(3)For a third or a subsequent violation occurring within one year of two or more prior violations that resulted in convictions, a fine of two hundred fifty dollars ($250).
(f)Subdivisions (a) and (b) do not apply to an employee engaged in the necessary discharge of his or her duty or in the case of persons riding completely within or upon vehicle bodies in the space intended for a load on the vehicle.
(g)A person shall not drive a motor vehicle that is towing a trailer coach, camp trailer, or trailer carrying a vessel, containing a passenger, except when a trailer carrying or designed to carry a vessel is engaged in the launching or recovery of the vessel.
(h)A person shall not knowingly drive a motor vehicle that is towing a person riding upon a motorcycle, motorized bicycle, bicycle, coaster, roller skates, sled, skis, or toy vehicle.
(i)Subdivision (g) does not apply to a trailer coach that is towed with a fifth-wheel device if the trailer coach is equipped with safety glazing materials wherever glazing materials are used in windows or doors, with an audible or visual signaling device that a passenger inside the trailer coach can use to gain the attention of the motor vehicle driver, and with at least one unobstructed exit capable of being opened from both the interior and exterior of the trailer coach.

Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 1092, Sec. 392. Effective September 27, 1983. Operative January 1, 1984, by Sec. 427 of Ch. 1092.

No person shall operate on any highway any privately owned armored car unless a license to operate such car has first been obtained from the commissioner in accordance with Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 2500) of Division 2.

Violation of this section is a misdemeanor and upon conviction is punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment in the county jail for not to exceed six months or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 672, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2009.

The driver of a vehicle described in subdivision (f) of Section 27803 shall not operate the vehicle in either of the following areas:

(a)On, or immediately adjacent to, the striping or other markers designating adjacent traffic lanes.
(b)Between two or more vehicles that are traveling in adjacent traffic lanes.

Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 708, Sec. 8.

(a)No passenger vehicle regardless of weight, or any other motor vehicle under 4,000 pounds unladen, shall draw or tow more than one vehicle in combination, except that an auxiliary dolly or tow dolly may be used with the towed vehicle.
(b)No motor vehicle under 4,000 pounds unladen shall tow any vehicle weighing 6,000 pounds or more gross.

Amended (as amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 536, Sec. 3) by Stats. 2000, Ch. 155, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2001.

Except as provided in Section 21115.1 and Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 1950) of Division 2.5 of the Streets and Highways Code, no person shall operate a golf cart on any highway except in a speed zone of 25 miles per hour or less.

Added by Stats. 1976, Ch. 751.

Whenever it is necessary for the driver of a motor vehicle to cross a bicycle lane that is adjacent to his lane of travel to make a turn, the driver shall drive the motor vehicle into the bicycle lane prior to making the turn and shall make the turn pursuant to Section 22100.

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