AAA: New Motor Vehicle Laws for 1998

30 December 1997

                 Changes Will Affect Teens, Red-light Runners

    SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 30 -- Major changes are in store next
year for teen drivers, red-light runners and the smog check program due to
several laws recently passed by the California Legislature.  Unless otherwise
noted, the laws are effective Jan. 1, 1998.
    Red light running -- The base fine for running a red light increases to
$100 under Assembly Bill 1191 (Shelley, D-San Francisco).  Penalty assessment
fees; on a fine bring the total to $270.
    Safety belts -- The existing seat belt law and child passenger restraint
laws are extended to apply to any motor truck or truck tractor (commonly known
as "semis" and "tractor-trailers") in addition to automobiles (AB 1278,
Cardenas, D-Sylmar).
    Smog check -- A package of bills changes California's Smog Check program.
New cars are exempted for their first five years from biennial smog checks
under AB 1492 (Baugh, R-Huntington Beach).
    The law also allows "gross polluters" -- vehicles that emit at least twice
the pollutants allowed for that make and model -- to be eligible for a
one-time repair cost waiver and places a $450 cap on repair costs.
    Cars built before 1974 are exempted from biennial smog checks under Senate
Bill 42 (Kopp, I-San Francisco).  Starting in 2003, cars 30 or more model
years old are exempted.  Under the old law, cars built in 1966 or earlier were
exempted.
    Low-income auto owners with potentially high-cost smog repairs get a break
under AB 57 (Escutia, D-Bell) and AB 208 (Migden, D-San Francisco).  The laws
provide for a program to assist low-income motorists by capping their
out-of-pocket smog repair costs at $250, instead of $450, and create an
economic hardship and repair fund.
    Vehicles exempted from the smog certification requirement because they are
four model years old or newer are subject to an annual smog abatement fee of
$4.
    Teen licensing -- Sponsored by AAA, the Brady-Jared Teen Driver Safety Act
of 1997 (SB 1329, Leslie, R-Lake Tahoe) implements a graduated licensing
program for teen drivers, effective July 1, 1998.
    Under this law, those under 18 years old:

    * Must hold an instruction permit for six months, rather than 30 days,
before applying for a provisional license.
    * Must practice for a minimum of 50 hours, including 10 at night, during
the permit period (certified by a parent or guardian).
    * Cannot have passengers under age 20 (except for family members) for the
first six months of a provisional license unless accompanied by a licensed
driver who is at least 25.
    * Cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m. for the first year of a
provisional license unless accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least
25.  There are exceptions for work, school-related activities, medical
necessity and family reasons.
    Enforcement is based on a secondary violation, not a primary offense.
This means the teen driver will not be stopped solely because he or she is
suspected of being in violation of the Brady-Jared Teen Driver Safety Act.
    The AAA affiliate for Northern California, Nevada and Utah serves nearly
four million members with an array of automotive, travel and insurance
services.

SOURCE  AAA