California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
A client of ours just forwarded to us an email based on information from the Los Angeles Times about California using traffic ticket revenue from Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley and other areas to collect money to try to balance its budget. The email states:
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES HAS AN ARTICLE ON THE SUBJECT:
Please be extremely careful in your driving and car registration & insurance matters. State of California is broke and it is trying hard to squeeze all of us hard to collect money.
Effective immediately, if you do not stop at a red light, be ready to pay $436 in fines or if you pass a school bus with flashing red signals, you will be charged $616. The state of California is going for blood, so be extra careful in driving. It has been reported that the Calif. Highway Patrols are under pressure to issue a lot more tickets than last year with at least 30% increase in fines over 2009, so beware of radar guns, highway and traffic cameras and the tougher enforcement of parking rules.
Just for your info, the next time you park in the handicapped zone, even for a minute, you could be looking at almost $1000 in parking tickets, so don’t do it!
Traffic Ticket Fines (Effective 01/06/2011)
VC 12814.6 $214 Failure to obey license provisions.
VC 14600(A) $214 Failure to notify DMV of address change within 10 days [Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction].
VC 16028(A) $796 Failure to provide evidence of financial responsibility [i.e., valid auto insurance–thus be sure you have proper auto insurance and if you want a no-charge free analysis or referral to some insurance brokers for lower quotes, do not hesitate to contact us; and Note: This fine may be reduced with proof of insurance on or after the violation date]
VC 21453(A) $436 Failure to stop at a red signal.
VC 22349 $214 Unsafe speed, 1 to 15 miles over the limit.
VC 22350 $328 Unsafe speed, 16 to 25 miles over the limit.
VC 22450 $214 Failure to stop at a stop sign.
VC 22454(A) $616 Passing a school bus with flashing red signals.
VC 23123(A) $148 Driving while using a wireless phone not hands free, first offense .
VC 23123(B) $256 Driving while using a wireless phone not hands free, each subsequent offense.
VC 23123.5 $148 Driving while using a wireless device to send, read or write text.
VC 23124 $148 Minor driving while using a wireless phone.
VC 22500 $976 Parking in a bus loading area.
VC 22507(A) $976 Violation of disabled parking provisions, first offense.
VC 22507(B) $1876 Violation of disabled parking provisions, second offense.
VC 26708 $178 Unlawful material on vehicle windows.
VC 27150 $178 Adequate muffler required.
VC 27315 $148 Mandatory use of seat belts.
VC 27360 $436 Mandatory use of passenger child restraints. [Note: This fine may be reduced by completing a court authorized child seat diversion program] .
VC 27400 $178 Headsets or Earplugs covering both ears.
VC 27803 $178 Violation of motorcycle safety helmet requirements.
VC 34506 $616 Commercial Driver – Log book violation.
VC 4000 $256 No evidence of current registration. [Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction].
VC 4159 $178 Notify DMV of change of address within 10 days. [Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction].
VC 5200 $178 Proper display of license plates. [Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction].
But don’t blame the cops. They don’t set the fines or collect them!
Laws like these are further reasons why residents of California need an experienced California attorney to assist them, whether its providing a free analysis of your auto insurance coverage, keeping you advised of new laws or someone who will fight to protect your rights and pocketbooks should you be involved in an auto accident in California.