California’s traffic laws shift regularly, and 2024 and 2025 brought a meaningful set of changes — from automated speed enforcement to tougher street racing penalties to updated rules around distracted driving. For anyone regularly on California roads, understanding these updates matters both for avoiding citations and for knowing how new legal standards apply when accidents occur.
Automated Speed Cameras: AB 645
One of the most consequential changes is the launch of California’s first automated speed safety system pilot program, authorized under AB 645 (signed 2023, implementation beginning 2024–2025). Six cities are authorized to operate speed cameras: Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland, Glendale, Long Beach, and San Francisco.
Key details drivers should understand:
- Cameras are limited to designated safety corridors, school zones, and areas with high incidence of street racing — not general roadways or freeways.
- Each jurisdiction must post “Photo Enforced” signage and conduct public outreach at least 30 days before a system goes live.
- During the first 60 days of operation at any location, only warning notices are issued — no fines.
- Civil penalties range from $50 for driving 11–15 mph over the limit to $500 for speeds exceeding 100 mph. Importantly, no driver’s license points are assessed — these are civil penalties, not moving violations.
- Systems must be recalibrated annually and cannot operate on state routes, freeways, or highways.
The pilot runs through January 1, 2032, after which the legislature will evaluate whether to expand the program statewide.
Strengthened Street Racing Penalties
California has consistently increased penalties for street racing and sideshows in recent years, and that trend continued in 2024. Under existing and updated provisions of the Vehicle Code, participants and organizers of illegal speed contests face:
- Vehicle impoundment for up to 30 days for a first offense
- Mandatory license suspension
- Enhanced criminal penalties for organizers or participants in events that cause injury or property damage
- Felony charges when racing results in serious bodily injury or death
Local ordinances in Los Angeles, Oakland, and Fresno have added administrative penalties layered on top of state law — including accelerated vehicle forfeiture for repeat offenders.
Distracted Driving Enforcement Clarifications
California has prohibited handheld device use while driving since 2017, but updated enforcement guidance clarified that any physical interaction with a phone — including a single swipe or tap — constitutes a violation under Vehicle Code § 23123.5, even if the device is mounted. The law requires fully hands-free operation.
Penalties for handheld device violations include fines and, critically, a point on the driver’s record for violations occurring after a first offense. Points contribute to the DMV’s Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS) and can affect insurance rates.
Distracted driving remains one of the leading contributors to serious injury accidents in California. When someone injured in an accident pursues a claim, evidence of handheld device use at the time of the crash — pulled from phone records or captured on dashcam footage — frequently becomes a central element of the liability analysis.
Hit-and-Run: Continued Legislative Pressure
California has seen renewed legislative attention to hit-and-run crashes, which remain disproportionately common compared to national averages. Under Vehicle Code § 20001, drivers involved in accidents causing injury or death must stop, render aid, and provide identifying information. Penalties for felony hit-and-run include:
- Up to four years in state prison
- Fines up to $10,000
- Driver’s license revocation
Recent legislative proposals have pushed to expand restitution obligations and extend the statute of limitations for hit-and-run prosecutions in fatal cases, reflecting pressure from victim advocacy groups after high-profile incidents in Los Angeles and the Bay Area.
Autonomous and Semi-Autonomous Vehicle Rules
California’s DMV has continued updating regulations governing autonomous vehicles as the technology matures. Key current requirements include:
- Manufacturers must report all autonomous mode disengagements to the DMV annually
- Driverless testing (without a safety driver) requires a separate permit class
- Commercial deployment of fully driverless vehicles requires DMV approval and public reporting of all collisions involving autonomous operation
As autonomous vehicles become more common on California roads — particularly in San Francisco, where Waymo and other operators have expanded commercial service — questions of liability in accidents involving these vehicles are increasingly reaching the courts. Determining fault between the vehicle’s software, the manufacturer, and any human operators present requires specialized analysis that standard insurance claim processes are not equipped to handle.
What These Changes Mean for Accident Claims
New traffic laws don’t just regulate driver behavior — they establish the legal standards courts use to assess fault when accidents happen. A driver caught violating AB 645’s speed threshold, using a handheld device, or engaged in a street racing incident faces not only criminal and administrative consequences but also a significantly weakened legal position if their conduct caused injury to others.
California’s pure comparative negligence system (Civil Code § 1714) allows fault to be distributed across multiple parties, and evidence of statutory violations — speeding, distracted driving, hit-and-run conduct — directly influences how courts and juries assign percentages of fault. For plaintiffs, documenting these violations is often the foundation of a successful personal injury claim.
The legal landscape for California drivers is more monitored, more automated, and more consequential than it was even a few years ago. Staying current with the law is the first line of defense — both in avoiding liability and in understanding your rights when something goes wrong.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws and regulations are subject to change. Readers should consult a qualified attorney regarding their specific circumstances.
