The California Vehicle Code (CVC) governs the rules and responsibilities of all persons operating a car, truck, motorcycle or other motor vehicle on California’s roads. Below are the top 4 CVC violations and their applicable language.
1) CVC 22350 – Basic Speed Law. Probably the most prominent violation resulting in an injury accident. Travelling at an unsafe speed for present conditions often is the culprit of an auto accident because of the negligent driver’s inability to stop his/her vehicle before colliding with an innocent victim. CVC 22350 reads, “No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.”
2) CVC 21658(a) – Laned Roadways. Common with trucking (big-rig) accidents, an unsafe lane change results when the driver is inattentive or fails to see someone in his/her blindspot before changing lanes. CVC 21658(a) reads, “A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until such movement can be made with reasonable safety.”
3) CVC 21703 – Following Too Closely. The number one cause of rear-end collision accidents, following too closely piggy-backs on CVC 22350 because the speed at which one operates their truck, car, motorcycle or other automobile is a huge factor on how far behind someone else’s vehicle they should be. The closer one is to the vehicle in front of them, the slower they need to be travelling to avoid an accident. CVC 21703 reads, “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.”
4) CVC 21801 – Left Turn or U Turn. The number one cause of head on collisions and side impact accidents, violation of this code typically finds the driver not being quick enough in completing his turn or failing to realize how fast the oncoming car was approaching before making his turn safely. Keep in mind, subsection (b) of this code does indicate that an oncoming driver must yield to the other car, truck, or motorcycle making the turn if at the time the turn is made, there is no danger to other vehicles. CVC 21801 reads, ” 21801. (a) The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety. (b) A driver having yielded as prescribed in subdivision (a), and having given a signal when and as required by this code, may turn left or complete a U-turn, and the drivers of vehicles approaching the intersection or the entrance to the property or alley from the opposite direction shall yield the right-of-way to the turning vehicle.”
For additional information on causes of car, truck and motorcycle accidents, see Truck Accidents: Cause and Effects and Top Causes of Car, Truck and Motorcycle Accidents.
Contact our auto accident lawyer today for a free consultation if you have been injured in a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle crash or other personal injury matter due to someone else’s negligence.