IE11 Not Supported

For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers.

New Transportation Laws Take Effect in 2016

California motorists will face a raft of new laws this coming year, including one that adds earbuds to the list of devices and accessories banned to prevent distracted driving.

By John Scheibe, Ventura County Star, Calif.

California motorists will face a raft of new laws this coming year, including one that adds earbuds to the list of devices and accessories banned to prevent distracted driving.

State law already banned drivers and bicyclists from wearing headsets or earplugs in both ears. Now, earbuds and earphones are taboo, too, although it's still OK to wear them in just one ear.

The idea is to make sure drivers and bicyclists can hear sirens, horns and other safety noises.

The new law, Senate Bill 491, exempts anyone using noise-cancelling earplugs or headsets while driving emergency vehicles, construction equipment or garbage trucks.

It follows similar laws designed to keep motorists focused on driving and not distracted by a growing array of electronic gadgets, including cellphones. Those laws include SB 28, which in 2009 banned motorists from reading, writing or sending a text message while driving.

While SB 491 takes effect Jan. 1, law enforcement agencies such as the California Highway Patrol sometimes have a grace period before issuing citations. Laws deemed to be critical have no grace period, said Rolando Tejada, a CHP spokesman and officer in Ventura.

"It depends on the law," Tejada said, adding he did not know if there would be a grace period for SB 491.

AB 265, which requires car dealers to tell buyers when a vehicle is sold with tracking or starter-interrupt technology. Such technology is often used when a buyer fails to make timely payments. The law applies to "buy here, pay here" used-car dealers who provide direct financing. Buyers who fail to make timely payments must receive advance warning before the starter-interrupt is used.

AB 1461, which creates automatic voter registration for California drivers eligible to vote when they get a new driver's license or identification card. Automatic voter registration will also occur when someone submits a change of address to the Department of Motor Vehicles. California is the second state to enact such legislation, after Oregon.

AB 604, which requires anyone using a motorized skateboard to be at least 16 years old. It also makes it a crime to ride such a skateboard while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Operators also must wear a bicycle helmet and safety equipment for increased visibility at night. And the skateboards can only be ridden on roads with a speed limit of 35 mph or less. Violators face fines of $250.

AB 1465, which starting July 1 will require anyone applying for the first time for a driver's license or identification card to prove they are a California resident. The procedures for verifying residency are still being worked out.

SB 530, which expands the definition of a "pedicab" to include any four-wheeled device that is pedal-powered, has a seating capacity of eight or more, cannot travel faster than 15 mph and is being used to transport passengers for hire. The law also establishes rules for pedicabs that allow passengers to drink alcohol on board.

©2015 Ventura County Star (Camarillo, Calif.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.