What is a Truck Lane Violation in California?
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What is a Truck Lane Violation in California?
Trucks play an essential role in the shipping industry. Many large scale businesses, critical to the economy, use these vehicles for transportation purposes. Trucks carry a significant amount of goods to different places. This attribute makes them qualify as valuable commercial automobiles. However, many highways witness traffic issues and even severe accidents because trucks and smaller vehicles share the same lanes.
Encounters with trucks and bigger vehicles on a busy highway are troublesome for passenger car drivers. The differences between vehicles, such as shape, speed and size, on a highway, cause many accidents. Therefore, to ensure people’s safety and prevent road accidents, many states including California have imposed laws that limit the lanes for larger trucks. Use of these allocated lanes not only prevents dangerous accidents, but also promotes a regular flow of traffic.
So let’s take a look at the rules of the road for truckers and how to avoid a California truck lane violation.
California Truck Speed Limits
California has a considerable number of heavy vehicles carrying and transporting goods through its busiest highways. To keep car passengers and motorists safe, various restrictions have been placed. One of the restrictions is the speed limit. Section 22406 of California’s Vehicle Code states “No person may drive any of the following vehicles on a highway at a speed in excess of 55 miles per hour:
(a) A motor truck or truck tractor having three or more axles or any motor truck or truck tractor drawing any other vehicle.
(b) A passenger vehicle or bus drawing any other vehicle.
(c) A school bus transporting any school pupil.
(d) A farm labor vehicle when transporting passengers.
(e) A vehicle transporting explosives.
(f) A trailer bus, as defined in Section 636.
California Truck Only Lanes
Because of the speed limit restrictions, tractor-trailers, tow-trucks, school buses, farm labor vehicles, and other in-combination vehicles are often forced to stay in the far right lanes. This way smaller passanger vehicles that want to go faster can do so on the left side of the road without needing to hit the brakes or having to deal with slower, larger vehicles.
However, California is unusual that it has both restrictions and truck only lanes on highways. Currently, there are two highways that enforce truck only lanes. These highways are the Southbound I-5 in Kern County, and the Northbound and Southbound I-5 in LA County.
That being so here is what you need to know if you are a truck driver in California:
- If there is a truck only lane(s) sign, use the designated lane.
- If there is no designated lane, use the far right lane.
- If the highway has 4 or more lanes then trucks are allowed to use the second to right hand lane.
- If a truck wants to pass a car or another truck, they must use the designated lane, far right lane or second to right hand lane. So on a three-lane highway, a commercial vehicle may use the second to right hand lane to pass a car or other truck. But they cannot stay there. As soon as the truck passes, they are required to move back to the far right lane.
What is a Truck Lane Violation in California?
So what is a truck lane violation? Basically, if you break any of the rules above then you can be pulled over and given a traffic ticket. This includes ignoring a truck only sign and not using the designated lane, not driving in the far right lane on a three-lane highway and driving in the far left lanes on a four or more lane highway.
What Is the Cost of a California Truck Lane Violation?
A California Truck Lane Violation costs a minimum of $238 fine. It may be higher depending upon the severity of the breach. The insurance hike and extra penalties may cost you over $1000.
Lane violation can be confusing and leave the driver wondering where he went wrong. The sections in the CVC regulate the straddling lanes and provide information about changing your path safely. Thousands of truck drivers receive lane violation citations every year. The fines are usually hefty. The additional state and local assessments can add hundreds of dollars to the sum.
How Many Points is Lane Violation?
The most common traffic tickets issued by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) are the lane violation tickets against the California Vehicle Code 22348 c VC. The VC 22348 (c) carries 1.5 DMV points in California. These points stay in your driving record for three years. The cost of each DMV is around $750. This includes three years of increased insurance premiums and the value of the actual fine.
How Do I Beat a California Truck Lane Violation?
To keep the driving record clean, CDL holders should not plead guilty and always fight their tickets. Too many tickets lead to employment problems and even termination.
Moreover, the total cost just for VC 22348 (c) could be over $1000. This is a considerable amount and can cause a tremendous financial burden. This is why fighting your ticket is a must. The good news is that a California Truck Lane Violation can be dismissed, saving you time, money, energy, and points on your license. In order to do so, you can contact GetDismissed Services and let us manage each and everything on your behalf.
GetDismissed Services
People often believe that challenging violations without any assistance can be easy. However, such cases are rarely successful and lead to disappointment. When you are looking for someone that can handle these situations for you, always opt for a professional service provider such as GetDismissed.
Specialists at GetDismissed help you build a strong written defense for the court. GetDismissed has helped tens of thousands of drivers dismiss their traffic tickets through trial by written declaration. Contact us today to get your truck lane violations dismissed!
Steve has been leading the fight against traffic tickets for over 22 years and is the CEO/President of GetDismissed, a service that empowers California drivers with traffic tickets to fight back without going to court. As a thought leader and business entrepreneur, Steve has also been featured on TV, Radio, Print, and Online as a traffic ticket expert talking about such subjects as distracted driving, contesting traffic tickets, traffic ticket myths, traffic ticket tips, traffic law, and more. Steve is a published author, releasing his first book in 2011, and now has four books regarding fighting traffic tickets which can be found on Amazon. Read More…
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