Auto Club: New Rules of the Road for 2004.

Business Editors/Transportation Writers

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 30, 2003

Red light camera reform, changes to the teen driver learner permit criteria and seat belt fine increases are a few of the new laws going into effect beginning Jan. 1, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.

"The new laws focus on driver and passenger safety and are designed to strengthen existing regulations," said Alice Bisno, the Auto Club's vice president for legislative and regulatory affairs.

The following are among the new laws taking effect Jan. 1, unless otherwise noted:

Red Light Cameras

AB 1022 reforms California's current red light camera program by specifying that certain functions of the program cannot be delegated to the red light camera vendor. It also prohibits vendors from being paid on a per-ticket basis. Cities and counties with red light camera programs must establish citation-processing guidelines for the vendor to follow, which include assurances that only citations that have been reviewed and approved by law enforcement are mailed to violators.

The legislation also requires the local government entity to oversee the establishment of any change to a traffic signal light timing and clarifies that minimum yellow light intervals are maintained, unless a city or county establishes a longer interval.

Learner Permits

AB 1343 requires California teen drivers to wait until they are 15 1/2 to receive their learner permits. The Dept. of Motor Vehicles also will require in-classroom driver training classes to be completed before students are issued a permit to drive. The only exception is for those who are at least 15 1/2 and are enrolled in an integrated training course, where classroom driver education and behind-the-wheel experience are taught at the same time.

Data Recorder Equipment

AB 213, effective July 1, 2004, provides that a manufacturer of a new motor vehicle that is equipped with an "event data recorder" must disclose the existence of this equipment in the owner's manual for vehicles manufactured on or after July 1, 2004. These devices record the speed of a vehicle, brake performance and other data. The law also requires that the owner give permission before the information is accessed, except under certain circumstances, such as a court order or for purposes related to vehicle repair.

Child Passenger Safety

AB 1697, effective Jan. 1, 2005, requires a child or ward under the age of six years who weigh less than 60 lbs. to be secured in a child passenger restraint system in the rear seat of a motor vehicle. Educational awareness campaigns for parents will get under way in 2004 before enforcement occurs in 2005.

Seat Belt Fines

AB 1627 increases seat belt fines by making the $20 fine for a first seatbelt violation and the $50 fine for a second violation the base fine, rather than the maximum fine, and subjects these fines to penalty assessments and court costs.

Video Devices

AB 301 expands existing law, which prohibits a person from watching a television while driving, to include watching a video device. The law does not apply to mobile, digital terminals installed in authorized emergency vehicles or to a vehicle providing emergency road service.

The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest AAA affiliate, has been serving members since 1900. Today, Auto Club members benefit by the organization's roadside assistance service, financial products, travel agency and trip planning services, highway and transportation safety programs, insurance products and services, automotive pricing, and buying and financing programs. Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa-calif.com.