California Traffic Laws for 2024
Effective January 1, 2024
2024 Road Rules Update Highlights
Join Permit Quiz Liz from our Driving School partner Drivers Ed Direct as she presents the latest developments in California traffic laws for the year 2024 in an insightful review, supported by the road rule research done by our team here at TrafficSchool.com. Familiarize yourself with the following five new laws implemented this year to ensure your compliance with current road regulations.
Speed Camera Pilot Program (AB 645, Friedman)
Commencing January 2024, a new law launches a 5-year pilot program allowing selected California cities, including Los Angeles, Oakland, San Jose, Glendale, Long Beach, and San Francisco County, to deploy a limited number of speed cameras. Emphasizing critical areas such as school zones, high-injury roadways, and recognized street racing corridors, the program aims to monitor and enforce speed limits. Offenders in these zones will incur a civil penalty corresponding to their speed violation, with no points added to their driving record during this pilot program.
Parking Near A Crosswalk (AB 413, Lee)
A recent law prohibits stopping or parking a vehicle within 20 feet of a crosswalk or within 15 feet from a curb extension. Offenders will initially be warned in 2024, but citations will be issued starting in 2025. The primary objective of this new law? Enhancing visibility by eliminating parked cars near crosswalks and intersections.
Cruising Allowed (AB 436, Alvarez)
The state lifts a long-standing ban on lowrider cruising by repealing regulations in the California Vehicle Code. Formerly granting local governments authority to impose restrictions, the repealed rules covered the regulation of cruising, defined as the act of driving a vehicle "low and slow" on streets and operating modified vehicles that bring the car's body closer to the ground than the bottom of its rims.
Stops: Notification by Peace Officers (AB 2773, Holden)
Effective January 1st, 2024, law enforcement officers cannot begin a traffic stop with the question, "Do you know why I pulled you over?" Officers must explicitly state the purpose of the stop before continuing with further inquiries. This new law also applies to interactions with pedestrians. The guidelines aim to reduce pretextual stops and foster de-escalation in police-civilian interactions.
Catalytic Converter Theft (SB 55, Umberg, AB 641, Vince Fong, AB 1519, Bains)
Several laws were recently enacted to address the surge in catalytic converter theft. Measures include heightened penalties for unlicensed "automobile dismantlers" and individuals modifying or concealing a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) associated with a catalytic converter.