Fines, Punishments, and Restrictions

Stop for flashing red lights on a bus from any direction until children cross and lights stop.

Failing to do so may result in a $1,000 fine and 1-year driving suspension.

Do not dump or abandon animals on highways

punishable by a $1,000 fine, 6-month imprisonment, or both.

Work zone traffic violation

fines can be over $1,000

assaulting a highway worker

$2,000 fines and imprisonment.

Unlicensed driver

car can impound it for 30 days

As an adult, your license may be suspended if your driver’s record shows one of the following points totals up:

• 4 points in 12 months.

• 6 points in 24 months.

• 8 points in 36 months.

Driving without insurance

lead to a suspension of your driving privilege for up to 4 years after a collision.

Penalties for evading law enforcement:

• Serious bodily injury: up to 7 years in state prison or 1 year in county jail.

• Manslaughter: 4-10 years in state prison.

• Suspension if speed in excess of 100 miles per hour (13200.5 CVC)

Misdemeanor and felony violations (42000 CVC)

• Speeding and reckless driving (23103-23105 CVC)

• Drunk Driving (23152, 23153 CVC)

• Drug violations (23152, 23153 CVC)

• Theft and malicious mischief (10851-10853 CVC) 

Reporting Requirements

It’s illegal to drive with a BAC of:

• 08% or higher if you’re over 21 years old.

• 01% or higher if you’re under 21 years old.

• 01% or higher if you’re on DUI probation, regardless of age.

• 04% or higher if you’re driving a commercial vehicle or a passenger for hire.

If you’re arrested for DUI in California:

• Your driving privilege will be suspended for 90 days under the Administrative Per Se law.

• The officer may take your license and give you a temporary one for 30 days.

• You can request a DMV hearing within 10 days of your arrest.

How alcohol affects driving ability

• Judgment – Depth perception, Risk taking

• Awareness (impair drivers stare)

• Vision

• Reaction time

Alcohol and accidents

• Alcohol is involved in 40% of highway accidents.

• A BAC of .02 to .05% makes a young driver at least 7 times more likely to be killed than a sober driver.

• A BAC of 0.12% makes a driver 90 times more likely to be killed.

Prescription drugs

• 
  Narcotics (codeine, Demerol, and other painkillers)

• Depressants (sleeping pills, tranquilizers, and barbiturates)

  • Medical marijuana

  • Cause drowsiness, falling asleep uncontrollably, slowed reactions, and poor coordination

• Stimulants (amphetamines, and diet pills)

  • Cause false sense of well-being, lack of concentration, aggressiveness, and impatience

Illegal Drugs

• 
  Marijuana

  • Causes drowsiness and can distort time and space.

  • Slows pupil response to light

• Narcotics (heroin)

  • Slow reaction time, causes visual distortion, and sometimes death

  • Cause stupor, coma, and sometimes death

• Stimulants (amphetamines, cocaine, and “pep” pills)

  • Can lead to paranoia with continued use

  • Same as prescription stimulants, only higher intensity

• Hallucinogens (LSD, mescaline, PCP, peyote)

  • Create a feeling of super strength, causing aggressive behavior

  • Cause hallucinations that can interfere with vision

• Synergism (combining of drugs)

  • Combining drugs can result in an intensified effect higher than dosage levels would suggest. 

parked headed downhill

If you’re parked headed downhill, turn your front wheels towards the curb to prevent the vehicle from rolling into traffic.

parked headed uphill

If you’re parked headed uphill, turn your front wheels away from the curb, and let the vehicle roll back slightly until the wheels gently touch the curb. This will prevent the vehicle from rolling forward in case the parking brake fails.

Prohibited Parking Zones: Stay Alert to Avoid Fines!

• No Parking signposted areas

• Marked or unmarked crosswalks

• Sidewalks, driveways, and curb ramps

• Crosshatched area next to designated disabled parking spaces

• Spaces reserved for zero-emission vehicles (unless driving one)

• Tunnels and bridges (unless permitted by signs)

• Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or fire station driveway

The most common causes of collisions are:

• Driver distractions

• Unsafe speed

• Improper turns

• Failure to follow right-of-way rules

• Ignoring stop signals and signs

• Driving on the wrong side of the road

• Traveling faster or slower than the flow of traffic

1. Always avoid blind spots, which are areas around a vehicle that are not visible to the driver, by regularly checking over your shoulders while driving, whether you are on a freeway or in the city.

2. Check your blind spots before you:

• Change lanes.

• Turn at an intersection.

• Merge with traffic.

• Back up.

• Leave a parking space.

• Parallel park.

• Pull out from the curb.

• Open your car door.

Defensive Driving

SIPDE; SEARCH, IDENTIFY, PREDICT, DECIDE AND EXECUTE

Jaywalking

is the act of pedestrians walking in or crossing a roadway that has traffic, other than at a designated crossing point, or otherwise, in disregard of traffic rules.

Leaving a child who is 6 years old or younger unattended in a vehicle

is illegal, except under the supervision of a person at least 12 years old

Hitchhiking:

Hitchhiking is prohibited. No person shall stand in a roadway for the purpose of soliciting a ride from the driver of any vehicle.

Undesirable traits of a driver

• Aggressiveness

• Egotism

• Emotional instability

• Inattentiveness

• Exhibitionism

• Irresponsibility

Special freeway problems

• Velocitation – unconsciously going too fast

• Highway hypnosis – avoiding drowsiness

Right of Way

• Right of way is the legal right of a driver or pedestrian to proceed first in traffic while other vehicles or pedestrians yield.

• Drivers should always yield to pedestrians, especially at crosswalks and intersections.

• When two vehicles approach an intersection at the same time, the driver on the left should yield to the driver on the right.

• Drivers should also yield to emergency vehicles, school buses, and trains at railroad crossings.

• If a driver is turning left at an intersection, they must yield to oncoming traffic, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

• It is illegal to block an intersection, even if the traffic signal is green.

• Drivers should always use caution when driving through parking lots, driveways, and alleys, and yield to pedestrians and other vehicles.

• When merging onto a highway, drivers should yield to traffic already on the freeway and adjust their speed to safely merge into traffic. 

Special Driving Conditions

1. Use low-beam headlights during fog to avoid glare from high-beam headlights.

2. Scan Your Surroundings

   • To give yourself time to react, avoid last minute moves and hazards, always keep your eyes moving and scan the road at least 10 seconds ahead of your vehicle.

3. Driving on Slippery Roads: Rain, snow, or mud can make the roads slippery. Adjust your speed for different conditions:

   • Wet road: reduce speed by 5-10 mph.

   • Packed snow: reduce speed by half.

   • Ice: reduce speed to 5 mph or less.

4. If you cannot see farther than 100 feet, it is not safe to drive faster than 30 mph.

First Aid

1. Heart stoppage: If trained, Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately and call for emergency medical assistance.

2. Obstructed airway: Perform the Heimlich maneuver or back blows and abdominal thrusts to dislodge the object obstructing the airway.

3. Head injuries: Apply pressure to the wound to stop bleeding, immobilize the neck and head, and seek medical attention.

4. Shock: Elevate the legs and keep the person warm and lying down, and seek medical attention.

5. Burns: Remove any clothing and jewelry around the burn, run cool (not cold) water over the burn for at least 10 minutes, cover with a sterile gauze or cloth, and seek medical attention.

6. Bleeding: Apply direct pressure to the wound with a clean cloth or bandage, elevate the injured area, and seek medical attention.

7. Fractures: Immobilize the injured area with a splint or brace, and seek medical attention.

8. Heat stroke and exposure to cold: Move the person to a cooler or warmer area respectively, loosen tight clothing, and provide fluids (for heat stroke) or warm drinks (for exposure to cold). Seek medical attention.