SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)—The Department of Motor Vehicles wants to make sure everyone knows about the laws either changing or being added to California in 2017.
Take car seats, for example. It used to be that any kid under eight was fine if they were in a car seat.
But beginning on January 1st, all children under age two must be in rear-facing car seats.
They can be flipped forward once they weigh 40 pounds or are 40 inches tall.
Another law has to do with motorcyclists and lane-splitting; something many car drivers frown upon.
“It’s hard to say,” said Brian Holm of the San Francisco Motorcycle Club. “I’d say it’s gone quite well as a de facto permission, if you will. As a law I think it will make it better. I think it has already.”
The new law simply defines lane splitting, and for the first time allows highway patrol to develop educational guidelines about it to ensure safety.
The San Francisco Motorcycle Club likes the idea of guidelines.
The law also requires CHP to consult with certain organizations with an interest in motorcycle behavior when coming up with the guidelines.
“I’m sure we’d love to give them our feedback,” Holm said. “There are also some larger organizations, multi-factional organizations like the Bay Area Riders’ Forum.”
Another law will mean fewer car crashes have to be reported to the DMV.
You now won’t have to file a report unless there’s $1,000 worth of damage.
It’s also going cost you ten dollars more in 2017 to get that registration sticker for your license plate. That law, however, doesn’t go into effect until April 1st.
Instead of $43, you’ll have to shell out $53 each year and don’t even think about installing non-working or fake airbag systems in a car.
Messing with that new law could cost you five grand or a year in county jail.