In 2025, Californians are not only welcoming a brand new year, but they also need to pay attention to a number of newly enacted “safety road regulations.”
Earlier reports by Dajiyuan have introduced a series of new traffic laws, including the “Daylighting Law,” which prohibits parking within 20 feet of any marked or unmarked crosswalk, the installation of five speed monitoring systems on a section of the Pacific Coast Highway in the famous Malibu area of California, authorization for Marin County and its cities to prohibit minors under 16 from riding Class 2 electric bicycles, and restrictions on minors under 12 in San Diego County riding certain electric bicycles, among others.
Car owners should also take note that California has implemented a new law targeting the obscuring of license plates: AB2111, the “Prohibition of License Plate Concealment” law states that no one shall alter the reflective coating of a license plate for the purpose of evading detection by electronic cameras or law enforcement.
The new law stipulates that (a) no one shall sell products or devices designed to obscure or intended to obscure license plates; (b) no one shall drive a vehicle with obscured license plates; (c) no one shall tamper with the reflective coating, paint over, or alter license plates in an attempt to avoid detection.
AB2111 will enforce this provision, with violators facing fines of at least $250 per offense.
Additionally, California is also committed to combating vehicle theft and related crimes. The newly enacted SB905 law stipulates that regardless of whether the vehicle is locked, any “forcible entry” into a vehicle to steal the owner’s personal property, remove any vehicle parts, or engage in other criminal activities could lead to misdemeanor or felony charges, with misdemeanor punishment up to one year in county jail and felony up to 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years in county jail.
In the new year, law enforcement officers will also crack down on illegal activities such as street racing and occupying the streets. The AB1978 law grants police the authority to seize vehicles involved in or assisting in street racing or stunt activities from anyone involved.
According to the regulations, once a vehicle is impounded, the owner must pay to retrieve it. Failure to do so within the specified time may result in the vehicle being auctioned off.
With the continuous development of technologies like autonomous driving, some new vehicles come equipped with tracking and remote control features, but they also pose certain safety and privacy risks.
California’s SB1394 law mandates that starting in July 2025, all car manufacturers must provide an option allowing drivers to stop remote access to their vehicle and location data under special circumstances. This law aims to primarily protect victims of domestic violence from abusive partners using vehicle tracking technology to locate them.
Many vehicles now come equipped with advanced driver assistance systems, which can monitor driver behavior in real-time and issue warnings or alerts when the driver is distracted or drowsy. Therefore, a new law named SB1313 in California prohibits vehicles from being equipped or individuals from using devices that bypass driver monitoring systems.
In this ever-evolving landscape of regulations and technological advancements, Californians will need to stay informed and compliant with the state’s safety road laws to ensure a safer driving environment for all road users.