California Vehicle Code 22426 – (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a violation of any speed law …
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a violation of any speed law pursuant to this chapter that is recorded by a speed safety system authorized pursuant to Section 22425 shall be subject only to a civil penalty, as provided in subdivision (c), and shall not result in the department suspending or revoking the privilege of a violator to drive a motor vehicle or in a violation point being assessed against the violator.
(b) The speed safety system shall capture images of the rear license plate of vehicles that are traveling 11 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit and notices of violation shall only be issued to registered owners of those vehicles based on that evidence.
Terms Used In California Vehicle Code 22426
- Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
- Department: means the Department of Motor Vehicles except, when used in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2100) of Division 2 and in Divisions 11 (commencing with Section 21000), 12 (commencing with Section 24000), 13 (commencing with Section 29000), 14 (commencing with Section 31600), 14. See California Vehicle Code 290
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
- motor vehicle: includes a recreational vehicle as that term is defined in subdivision (a) of §. See California Vehicle Code 415
- owner: is a person having all the incidents of ownership, including the legal title of a vehicle whether or not such person lends, rents, or creates a security interest in the vehicle. See California Vehicle Code 460
- Person: includes a natural person, firm, copartnership, association, limited liability company, or corporation. See California Vehicle Code 470
- registered owner: is a person registered by the department as the owner of a vehicle. See California Vehicle Code 505
- renter: is a person who is engaged in the business of renting, leasing or bailing vehicles for a term not exceeding four months and for a fixed rate or price. See California Vehicle Code 508
- Road: means any existing vehicle route established before January 1, 1979, with significant evidence of prior regular travel by vehicles subject to registration pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 4000) of Chapter 1 of Division 3. See California Vehicle Code 527
- system: means a fixed or mobile radar or laser system or any other electronic device that utilizes automated equipment to detect a violation of speed laws and obtains a clear photograph of a speeding vehicle's license plate. See California Vehicle Code 22425
- Traffic-calming measures: include , but are not limited to, all of the following:
California Vehicle Code 22425
- vehicle: is a device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or drawn upon a highway, excepting a device moved exclusively by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. See California Vehicle Code 670
(c) A civil penalty shall be assessed as follows:
(1) Fifty dollars ($50) for driving at a speed of 11 to 15 miles per hour over the posted speed limit.
(2) One hundred dollars ($100) for driving at a speed of 16 to 25 miles per hour over the posted speed limit.
(3) Two hundred dollars ($200) for driving at a speed of 26 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit, unless paragraph (4) applies.
(4) Five hundred dollars ($500) for driving at a speed of 100 miles per hour or more.
(d) A civil penalty shall not be assessed against an authorized emergency vehicle.
(e) The notice of violation shall be in writing and issued to the registered owner of the vehicle within 15 calendar days of the date of the violation. The notice of violation shall include all of the following information:
(1) The violation, including reference to the speed law that was violated, the speed of the vehicle, the speed limit for the road on which the violation occurred, and verification of the most recent calibration of the system in accordance with paragraph (3) of subdivision (d) of Section 22425.
(2) The date, approximate time, and location where the violation occurred.
(3) The vehicle license number and the name and address of the registered owner of the vehicle.
(4) A statement that payment is required to be made no later than 30 calendar days from the date of mailing of the notice of violation, or that the violation may be contested pursuant to Section 22427.
(5) The amount of the civil penalty due for that violation and the procedures for the payment of the civil penalty or for contesting the notice of violation.
(6) An affidavit of nonliability, and information of what constitutes nonliability, information as to the effect of executing the affidavit, and instructions for returning the affidavit to the processor. If the affidavit of nonliability is returned to the processing agency within 30 calendar days of the mailing of the notice of violation, together with proof of a written lease or rental agreement between a bona fide rental company, as defined in § 1939.01 of the Civil Code, or a personal vehicle sharing program, as defined in § 11580.24 of the Insurance Code, and its customer that identifies the renter or lessee, the processing agency shall serve or mail a notice of violation to the renter or lessee identified in the affidavit of nonliability. If the affidavit of nonliability is returned to the processing agency within 30 calendar days of the mailing of the notice of violation, together with proof of a copy of a police report indicating the vehicle had been stolen at the time of the violation, the processing agency shall not subject the registered owner to a civil violation.
(7) A proof of service consistent with Section 1013a of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(f) Mobile radar or laser systems shall not be used until at least two years after the installation of the first fixed radar or laser system unless the mobile radar or laser system is kept at a fixed location.
(g) (1) Revenues derived from any program utilizing a speed safety system for speed limit enforcement shall first be used to recover program costs. Program costs include, but are not limited to, the construction of traffic-calming measures for the purposes of complying with subdivision (p) of Section 22425, the installation of speed safety systems, the adjudication of violations, and reporting requirements as specified in this section.
(2) Jurisdictions shall maintain their existing commitment of local funds for traffic-calming measures in order to remain authorized to participate in the pilot program, and shall annually expend not less than the annual average of expenditures for traffic-calming measures during the 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19 fiscal years. For purposes of this subdivision, in calculating average expenditures on traffic-calming measures, restricted funds that may not be available on an ongoing basis, including those from voter-approved bond issuances or tax measures, shall not be included. Any excess revenue shall be used for traffic-calming measures within three years of the end of the fiscal year in which the excess revenue was received. If traffic-calming measures are not planned or constructed after the third year, excess revenue shall revert to the Active Transportation Program established pursuant to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 2380) of the Streets and Highways Code, to be allocated by the California Transportation Commission pursuant to § 2381 of the Streets and Highways Code.
(h) A person shall not be accessed a civil penalty if they are subject to criminal penalties for the same act.
(i) A speed safety system may only be in operation for five years, or until January 1, 2032, whichever date is sooner.
(Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 808, Sec. 4. (AB 645) Effective January 1, 2024. Repealed as of January 1, 2032, pursuant to Section 22431.)