GHSA maintains data on state laws surrounding a number of highway safety issues. Below is information regarding laws in the state of California. For more information, consult the State Highway Safety Office.
Bicycle helmets required for all riders under 18.
Universal helmet law enacted 1992.
5 years
70 and over: License renewal in person at a DMV field office, unless otherwise instructed by the DMV. Knowledge and vision tests are also required. Most drivers 70 and older are eligible for open book no-fail eLearning course.
None
Decriminalized and legal for medical and recreational use
None
70
55
65
55
70
55
Mandatory for all repeat and injury-involved offenses, first-time injury or vehicular manslaughter offenses.
Yes
No
0.15
4 months
After 30 days
Under 2 yrs or under 40 pounds or 40” in rear-facing car seat, following manufacturer instructions and in a back seat
Under 8 yrs or under 57" tall in child safety seat or booster seat in the back seat, following manufacturer instructions
Under 16 yrs properly restrained, including a seat belt
17 years
15 / 6
6
50 (10)
16
11 p.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 12 months: No passengers under 20 (secondary enforcement) unless accompanied by a licensed driver who is the licensee’s parent or guardian, a licensed driver who is 25 years or older, or a licensed or certified driving instructor.
Primary
16 and over
All
All drivers. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Yes. Primary law.
Drivers under 18. Secondary law.
Permitted by state law
In six specified jurisdictions in a pilot program until 2032
Permitted by state law
Statewide
Nuro is seeking an experienced safety leader and thought partner to help lead our efforts to enhance safety in the design, testing, and operation of our core products. Nuro’s mission is to better everyday life through robotics, and today we are focused on autonomous vehicle technologies that provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to save lives and reduce injuries on our roadways while reimagining the role that automobiles can and should play in our society.
Autonomous technology developer Zoox is continuing its expansion of driverless robotaxi rides across two new cities in the US. This week, the company announced plans to start testing in Miami, Florida, and Austin, Texas, as it looks to begin commercial ride-hailing operations in the cities it’s already established in.
Story by Scooter Doll
June 7, 2024
The department says that its drones provide officers with critical intelligence about incidents they are responding to ahead of initiating in-person contact—which the CVPD says has reduced unnecessary police contacts, decreased response times, and saved lives. But a WIRED investigation paints a complicated picture of the trade-offs between public safety and privacy.
Stroy by Dhruv Mehrotra and Jesse Max
June 5, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2024
CONTACT: Adam Snider (GHSA), 202-580-7930, 202-365-8971 (after hours)
David Finleyson (Michelin)
New data will give states a better picture of current roadway safety problems and how to address them
GHSA has partnered with Michelin Mobility Intelligence to provide $300,000 in competitive grants to three states – California, Minnesota and Washington – for advanced traffic safety data collection and analysis that can help make roads safer.
Maison Law provides skilled, experienced and personalized legal guidance to the voiceless and the injured throughout California. Clients are the firm’s priority, and they work with the best experts in the field to help win their cases.
Slow down, California drivers. Speed cameras can be installed next year in six cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation on Friday approving a trial run of enforcement systems that can automatically flag errant drivers for citations.
Story by Heather Knight
October 13, 2023
California likes to think of itself as a cutting-edge lab for policymaking, a place where laws get passed first and then copied around the country. But for years, it has banned a basic measure used in many cities to slow drivers: the humble speed camera. In the state that practically invented car culture and the thrill of hitting the open road, speed cameras have faced steep resistance.
Amid a recent surge in traffic deaths and dangerous driving behaviors, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) has updated the Policies and Priorities that guide the organization’s work to prevent traffic crashes, injuries and deaths on U.S. roads.
Amid a recent surge in traffic deaths and dangerous driving behaviors, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) has updated the Policies and Priorities that guide the organization’s work to prevent traffic crashes, injuries and deaths on U.S. roads.
