Alcohol and Drugs +4California · Driving · English

In California, it is illegal to drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of either alcohol or any drug that impairs your ability to operate the vehicle safely. This law applies to illegal drugs as well as legal prescription and over-the-counter medications. The key factor is impairment, not the legality of the substance.

• ✓It is illegal to drive while under the influence of alcohol or any drug that affects your ability to drive safely.
• ✓The law does not differentiate between illegal drugs and prescribed or over-the-counter medications if they impair your driving ability.
• ✓It is illegal to drive after using any combination of alcohol or drugs that decreases your ability to drive safely.

California law defines specific Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) levels that are illegal per se, meaning having a BAC at or above these limits is automatically a DUI offense. These limits vary based on your age and the type of vehicle you are driving. The 'Zero Tolerance' law for drivers under 21 is strictly enforced.

• ✓For a driver 21 years of age or older, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.08% or higher.
• ✓For a driver under 21 years of age, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.01% or higher.
• ✓For a commercial driver, it is illegal to operate their commercial vehicle with a BAC of 0.04% or higher.
• ✓For any driver on DUI probation, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.01% or higher.

California has strict laws regarding the transportation of alcohol and cannabis. It is illegal for a driver or passenger to drink an alcoholic beverage or consume a cannabis product while in a motor vehicle on a public road. Any open container must be stored in the trunk or an area not normally occupied by passengers. The glove box is not a legal storage area for an open container.

• ✓It is illegal to drink any amount of alcohol or consume cannabis while driving or riding as a passenger in a vehicle.
• ✓Any open container of alcohol or cannabis must be kept in the trunk of the vehicle.
• ✓If the vehicle has no trunk, the open container must be stored in a place where passengers do not sit.
• ✓It is illegal to keep an open container of alcohol in your glove box.

By signing your driver's license application, you agree to what is known as 'Implied Consent.' This means if you are lawfully arrested for a DUI, you consent to take a chemical test (breath, blood, or urine) to determine your BAC. Refusing to submit to this test will result in an automatic suspension or revocation of your driving privilege, regardless of the outcome of the DUI case.

• ✓When you drive in California, you consent to a breath, blood, or urine test if a law enforcement officer suspects you of DUI.
• ✓If you refuse to take a required chemical test, the DMV will suspend or revoke your driving privilege for one year.

A conviction for driving under the influence carries severe and long-lasting penalties. These include administrative actions from the DMV, such as license suspension, and criminal penalties from the court, which can include jail time, substantial fines, and mandatory DUI programs. A DUI conviction remains on your driving record for 10 years.

• ✓A DUI conviction will result in the DMV suspending or revoking your driving privilege.
• ✓All DUI convictions remain on your driver’s record for 10 years.
• ✓Penalties may include up to six months in jail, fines, vehicle impoundment, and the required installation of an ignition interlock device (IID).

California has a 'Zero Tolerance' policy for underage drinking and driving. In addition to the very low 0.01% BAC limit, there are strict rules about possessing and transporting alcohol. A person under 21 cannot transport alcohol in a vehicle unless accompanied by a parent or other person specified by law, and the container must be full, sealed, and unopened.

• ✓If you are under 21, you may not carry any alcoholic beverage inside a vehicle unless an individual who is 21 years old or older is with you.
• ✓If you are under 21 and caught with alcohol in your vehicle, law enforcement can impound your vehicle for up to 30 days and your license may be suspended for one year.
• ✓If convicted of a DUI with a BAC of 0.01% or higher, the DMV may revoke your driving privilege for one year.

A unique and testable California law states that a DUI conviction while operating a bicycle can impact your motor vehicle driving privilege. This is especially true for young people, where such a conviction can lead to the suspension or delay of their driver's license.

• ✓If you are between 13 and 20 years old and are convicted of operating a bicycle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, your driving privilege may be suspended or delayed for one year.
• ✓DUI laws can apply to modes of transportation other than cars.

In California, you must always carry proof of financial responsibility (typically an insurance card) when you are driving. This proof is required for a drive test and must be shown to law enforcement or other parties if you are involved in a collision.

• ✓You must have your proof of financial responsibility (insurance) with you when you drive.
• ✓If you are in a collision, you must show your proof of insurance to the other drivers involved and to law enforcement.

California law mandates specific minimum liability insurance coverage amounts for all vehicles. These minimums are set to cover costs related to death, injury, and property damage in a collision you cause.

• ✓Your insurance must cover at least $30,000 for a single death or injury.
• ✓Your insurance must cover at least $60,000 for death or injury to more than one person.
• ✓Your insurance must cover at least $15,000 for property damage.

If you are involved in a collision and do not have proper insurance coverage, your driving privilege will be suspended for up to four years. This penalty applies regardless of who was at fault for the collision.

• ✓Your driving privilege will be suspended for up to four years if you are in a collision without proper insurance.
• ✓The suspension for driving without insurance in a collision applies even if you were not at fault.

If you are in a collision, you are legally required to stop your vehicle. Leaving the scene is a serious crime known as a hit-and-run. Your first priorities are to check for injuries and ensure safety. If anyone is hurt, call 911 immediately. If there are no injuries, move your vehicle out of traffic to a safe location.

• ✓You must stop if you are involved in a collision; leaving the scene is a hit-and-run.
• ✓If anyone is injured, you must call 911 immediately.
• ✓If no one is hurt, you should move your vehicle out of the flow of traffic.

After stopping at a collision scene, you are required by law to exchange information with the other driver(s) involved and any law enforcement officers present. This ensures all parties have the necessary details for insurance and legal purposes.

• ✓You must show your driver’s license, vehicle registration card, and insurance information to the other parties involved.
• ✓You must also provide your current address to the other driver and law enforcement.

In addition to any police report, you must personally report a collision to the California DMV within 10 days by filing a Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California (SR 1) form. This is required if the collision resulted in any injury, death, or property damage exceeding $1,000. Failure to do so will result in the suspension of your driving privilege.

• ✓You must report a collision to the DMV within 10 days if property damage is over $1,000 or if anyone was injured or killed.
• ✓Each driver involved must file their own SR 1 report, regardless of who was at fault.
• ✓Your driving privilege will be suspended if you fail to file the required SR 1 report with the DMV.

For drivers under the age of 18 in California, their parents or legal guardians are financially responsible for any damages they cause in a collision. Upon turning 18, the driver assumes their own financial responsibility.

• ✓Parents or guardians assume financial responsibility for drivers younger than 18 years old.
• ✓Drivers who are 18 years old and older take on their own financial responsibility.

If your vehicle hits a parked car or other property and you cannot locate the owner, you must not leave the scene without taking action. You are legally required to leave a note with your contact information and report the incident to the police.

• ✓If you hit a parked car and cannot find the owner, you must leave a note with your name, phone number, and address.
• ✓The note must be securely attached to the vehicle or property, and you must also report the collision to law enforcement.

Any collision that you are involved in that requires a report to the DMV (over $1,000 in damage or any injury/death) will be added to your official driver's record. This occurs regardless of who was at fault for the collision.

• ✓A collision resulting in over $1,000 in damage or any injury will be added to your driver's record by the DMV.
• ✓The collision is added to your record even if you did not cause the collision.

As a vehicle owner in California, you are responsible for meeting specific deadlines for registration and ownership transfer. When you purchase a vehicle, you are required to transfer the ownership into your name within 10 days. If you sell your vehicle, you must inform the DMV by submitting a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability within 5 days. For individuals moving to California, either by becoming a resident or starting a job, they must register their out-of-state vehicle within 20 days.

• ✓When you buy a vehicle, you have 10 days to transfer ownership to your name.
• ✓When you sell a vehicle, you must notify the DMV within 5 days.
• ✓New residents or those who get a job in California must register their out-of-state vehicle within 20 days.

If a law enforcement officer observes you driving in a manner that suggests you are not capable of operating a vehicle safely, they can issue a 'Notice of Priority Reexamination.' This is a serious notice that requires immediate action. You are legally obligated to contact the DMV within a very specific timeframe to begin the reexamination process. Ignoring this notice will lead to the loss of your driving privilege.

• ✓If you receive a Notice of Priority Reexamination from law enforcement, you must contact the DMV within five (5) working days.
• ✓Failure to contact the DMV within five working days of receiving a Priority Reexamination notice will result in an automatic suspension of your driving privilege.

The California DMV has the legal authority to reexamine any driver at any time to determine if they can operate a motor vehicle safely. This process is not triggered by a driver's age, but rather by concerns over a physical or mental condition or a poor driving record. Referrals for reexamination can be made by physicians, law enforcement, or even family members. During a reexamination, the DMV may require you to take new knowledge, vision, or driving tests to prove your fitness to drive.

• ✓The DMV can require a driver to be reexamined based on a physical or mental condition, or a poor driving record.
• ✓A driver's age is not a legal basis for a reexamination.
• ✓A reexamination may be initiated by a referral from a physician, law enforcement officer, or family member.

To ensure safety, the DMV may place restrictions on a driver's license. These restrictions are based on an individual's specific abilities and conditions, never on their age. It is illegal to operate a vehicle in violation of any restriction on your license. Common restrictions include requiring corrective lenses, prohibiting driving at night or on freeways, or mandating the use of special mechanical devices like hand controls.

• ✓Driver's license restrictions are based on an individual's physical or mental condition, not their age.
• ✓Common restrictions include requiring the use of corrective lenses (eyeglasses or contacts) or limiting driving to specific times, such as daylight hours only.

In California, specific rules apply to drivers renewing their license at age 70 or older. Unlike younger drivers who may be eligible for online renewal, senior drivers must complete the process in person to ensure their continued fitness to drive, which includes a mandatory vision screening.

• ✓If you are 70 years old or older, you must renew your driver's license in person at a DMV office.
• ✓A vision test is required for all drivers aged 70 or older when they renew their license.
• ✓A knowledge test may be required for drivers 70 or older, but they may be eligible for an online 'eLearning' course instead of the in-person test.

California offers a voluntary Mature Driver Improvement Program for drivers aged 55 and older. Completing this DMV-approved course can lead to a discount on auto insurance premiums. The course covers topics relevant to mature drivers and requires periodic renewal to maintain the benefits.

• ✓Drivers 55 years old and older are eligible to take a Mature Driver Improvement Program course.
• ✓Completing the program may result in a discount on your auto insurance; you must provide the completion certificate to your insurance company.
• ✓The initial course is eight hours, and the completion certificate is valid for three years.

California provides identification options for seniors and individuals who stop driving. A no-fee Senior ID card is available for those 62 or older. Additionally, any driver who surrenders their license due to a physical or mental condition that makes driving unsafe can exchange it for a no-fee ID card.

• ✓You are eligible for a no-fee Senior ID card if you are 62 years old or older.
• ✓A driver of any age who can no longer drive safely may exchange their driver's license for a no-fee ID card.

The DMV manual identifies several warning signs that may indicate a person is no longer safe to drive. These signs are important for self-assessment and for family members to recognize. Progressive cognitive impairments, such as dementia, are a significant concern as they will eventually make driving impossible.

• ✓Warning signs of an unsafe driver include getting lost in familiar places, frequent close calls or collisions, and new dents or scrapes on the vehicle.
• ✓Individuals with progressive dementia will ultimately lose their ability to drive safely.