California laws that are going into effect July 1st 2007?

Answer 1

A List of New California Laws effective July 1, 2007-Truth! Fiction!


Summary of the eRumor:
This email is an alert to California drivers of several new laws to be aware of that the email says go into effect on July 1, 2007.

The Truth:
Whoever put this email together was either intentionally ignoring the facts or summarizing some of the gossip around him or her about new California traffic laws.

Most of it is not true.

We'll go through each of the items one at a time, but first there are not statewide mandated penalties for traffic fines in California.

There are guidelines from what is called the Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule but local jurisdictions make their own decisions on fines for traffic citations. You may have discovered that on your own if you've gotten a traffic ticket for the same violation in different California cities or counties. You did not necessarily get the same fine.

If you want to know what the typical fines are in your area, call your local traffic court.
1. Carpool lane - 1st time $1068.50 starting 7/1/07 (The $271 posted on the highway is old). Don't do it again because 2nd time is going to be double. 3rd time triple, and 4th time license suspended-Fiction!
In 2007, the recommended fine for a first time car pool violation was $380. Repeat offenders can expect to pay more, but nothing near the amounts represented in this email.

2. Incorrect lane change - $380. Don't cross the lane on solid lines or intersections-Fiction!
The Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule said $134 for a typical infraction.

3. Block intersection - $485-Fiction!
The Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule said $175.

4. Driving on the shoulder - $450-Fiction!
The Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule said $134.

5. Cell phone use in the construction zone. - Double fine as of 07/01/07. Cell phone use must be "hands free" while driving-Fiction!
There was no law in California during 2007 restricting the use of cell phones in the car. There was such a law going into effect in July, 2008. There was no "double fine" as of 7/1/07 because there was no law in effect regarding cell phones. The new California law does not mention construction zones although penalties for traffic violations are higher if they occurred in a highway construction or maintenance area.

6. Passengers over 18 not in their seatbelts - both passengers and drivers get tickets-Truth!
The California Mandatory Seat Belt Law requires all passengers to use some kind of restraint. Children under 6 and weighing less than 60 pounds are required to be in "specified child passenger restraint system," typically a car seat. Everybody older than 6 must wear seat belts. At this writing the fines range from less than $100 for a first offence to more than $300 when it's kids who are not buckled in. According to the California Highway Patrol any adults in a vehicle who are not wearing seatbelts are subject to citation, not just the driver. The driver will be held accountable for any children not restrained.

7. Speeders can only drive 3 miles above the limit-Fiction!
The speed limit is the speed limit. There is no legal definition allowing a driver to go 3 miles per hour above that.

8. DUI = JAIL (Stays on your driving record for 10 years!)-Truth!
At the time of this writing a first offense for driving under the influence in California results in anywhere between 96 hours and 4 months in jail. a fine, and a six-month suspension of the license. Those are the court penalties. There are separate penalties to the Department of Motor Vehicles. As of January 1, 2007 a driving under the influence conviction will be on a person's record for 10 years.

9. As of 07/01/07 cell phone use must be "hands free" while driving. Ticket is $285. They will be looking for this like crazy - easy money for police department-Fiction!
By law all drivers in California must be using hands-free cell phones as of July 1, 2008. The fine was $20 for the first offense and $50 for each subsequent offense. The exceptions are for emergency use, drivers of emergency vehicles, and drivers of commercial vehicles can use the push-to-talk type wireless phones until July 1, 2011.

Updated 6/20/07

Answer 2

The "New CA Highway Fines as of July 1st" email that people keep passing around is an obvious hoax.

Here is the debunking information:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/traffic/california.asp

Before mass-forwarding any email, be sure to check it on the Urban Legends Reference Pages
http://www.snopes.com

Answer 3

Is there a question there?

Answer 4

you forgot to say what they are.