California Driver Handbook
Teenagers as a group average twice as many accidents as adult drivers, while driving only half as many miles. This makes the teenage accident rate per mile four times as great as that of adult drivers.
Studies show that the traffic deaths of new drivers is a deadly combination of their inexperience, their lack of familiarity with their car, and their need to push themselves and their vehicle to the limit.
Traffic Violations Increase Accidents
Nearly half of the drivers between ages 15 and 19 are convicted of a traffic violation in their first year of driving.
Speeding (which often
results in
loss of vehicle control) is the most
common moving violation for
teenage drivers. About 50% of
all their traffic convictions are
speed violations.
When you violate traffic laws, you increase your chances of having an accident.
Teenage Traffic Deaths
Drivers 15 to 19 years old have very high traffic accident, injury, and conviction rates. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers. If you are under 18 years old, your risk of a fatal accident is about 2½ times that of the “average” driver. Your risk of an injury accident is three times higher than the average driver.
Keeping The Provisional License
DMV will be watching your driving record and will take actions based upon any accidents or violations as follows:
- If you get a traffic ticket and fail to appear in court, DMV will suspend your driving privilege until you appear in court.
- If you get a traffic ticket and fail to pay the fine, DMV will suspend your driving privilege until you pay the fine.
- If you have one "at fault" accident or conviction within 12 months, DMV will send you a warning letter.
- If you have a second "at fault" accident or conviction (or combination of both) within 12 months, you cannot drive for 30 days unless accompanied by your parent or other licensed adult who is at least 25 years of age.
- If you have a third "at fault" accident or conviction (or any combination) within 12 months, you will be suspended for six months and be placed on probation for one year.
- If you have additional "at fault" accidents or point count convictions while you are on probation, you will be suspended again. (Traffic law violations resolved in Juvenile Court are also reported to DMV.)
- If you are convicted of using alcohol or a controlled substance and you are between the ages of 13 and 21, the court tells DMV to suspend you for one year. If you don’t have a driver license yet, the court tells DMV to make you wait a year longer before you can apply for a license. You can also be required to go to a DUI program.
Any restriction, suspension or probation will continue past your 18th birthday for its full term.
Other, stronger actions can be taken if your driving record justifies them. Remember, when your driving privilege has been suspended or revoked, you may not drive in California with any license or permit.
Vandalism/Graffiti—All Ages
California law allows the courts to suspend the driver license for two years of a person convicted of engaging in vandalism, including graffiti. If you are convicted and do not have a license, the courts can delay the issuance of a license for up to three years from the date you are legally eligible to drive.
Speed Contests/Reckless Driving
A person convicted of driving recklessly or engaging in a speed contest which causes bodily injury to another person is subject to:
- imprisonment in a county jail or
state prison for a minimum of 30
days to six months
- a fine ranging from $220 to $1000 or
- both fine and imprisonment
(VC §23105 and VC §23109.1)
Evading a Peace Officer
Any person who willfully flees or attempts to evade a peace officer performing his/her duties is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year. (VC §2800.1)
If a person is convicted of causing serious bodily injury during the course of a police pursuit (VC §2800.3[a]), he/she is subject to:
- imprisonment in a state prison for three, five, or seven years or in a county jail for not more than one year
- a fine of not less than $2,000 nor more than $10,000
- both a fine and imprisonment
If a person is convicted of killing anyone during the course of a police pursuit (VC §2800.3[b]), he/she is subject to imprisonment in a state prison for four, six, or ten years.
Habitual Truant—Persons Age 13 To 18
The court will suspend, restrict, delay, or revoke your driving privilege for one year if you are convicted of being a habitual truant from school.
Possessing Firearms
The court will:
- Suspend or revoke the driving privilege of any minor convicted of possessing a concealable weapon or live ammunition or
- Impose driver license sanctions for minors convicted of misdemeanors involving firearms.