21700-21721

VEHICLE CODE
SECTION 21700-21721




21700.  No person shall drive a vehicle when it is so loaded, or
when there are in the front seat such number of persons as to
obstruct the view of the driver to the front or sides of the vehicle
or as to interfere with the driver's control over the driving
mechanism of the vehicle.



21700.5.  No person shall knowingly drive a bus within the City of
San Diego which is transporting any public or private school pupil
who is enrolled in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive,
to or from a public or private school, unless every such pupil is
seated in a seat.



21701.  No person shall wilfully interfere with the driver of a
vehicle or with the mechanism thereof in such manner as to affect the
driver's control of the vehicle. The provisions of this section
shall not apply to a drivers' license examiner or other employee of
the Department of Motor Vehicles when conducting the road or driving
test of an applicant for a driver's license nor to a person giving
instruction as a part of a course in driver training conducted by a
public school, educational institution or a driver training school
licensed by the Department of Motor Vehicles.



21702.  (a) No person shall drive upon any highway any vehicle
designed or used for transporting persons for compensation for more
than 10 consecutive hours nor for more than 10 hours spread over a
total of 15 consecutive hours. Thereafter, such person shall not
drive any such vehicle until eight consecutive hours have elapsed.
   Regardless of aggregate driving time, no driver shall drive for
more than 10 hours in any 24-hour period unless eight consecutive
hours off duty have elapsed.
   (b) No person shall drive upon any highway any vehicle designed or
used for transporting merchandise, freight, materials or other
property for more than 12 consecutive hours nor for more than 12
hours spread over a total of 15 consecutive hours. Thereafter, such
person shall not drive any such vehicle until eight consecutive hours
have elapsed.
   Regardless of aggregate driving time, no driver shall drive for
more than 12 hours in any 24-hour period unless eight consecutive
hours off duty have elapsed.
   (c) This section does not apply in any case of casualty or
unavoidable accident or an act of God.
   (d) In computing the number of hours under this section, any time
spent by a person in driving such a vehicle outside this state shall,
upon the vehicle entering this state, be included.
   (e) Any person who violates any provision of this section is
guilty of a misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine of not less than
one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than one thousand dollars
($1,000) for each offense.
   (f) This section shall not apply to the driver of a vehicle which
is subject to the provisions of Section 34500.



21703.  The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another
vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due
regard for the speed of such vehicle and the traffic upon, and the
condition of, the roadway.


21704.  (a) The driver of any motor vehicle subject to the speed
restriction of Section 22406 that is operated outside of a business
or residence district, shall keep the vehicle he is driving at a
distance of not less than 300 feet to the rear of any other motor
vehicle subject to such speed restriction which is preceding it.
   (b) The provisions of this section shall not prevent overtaking
and passing nor shall they apply upon a highway with two or more
lanes for traffic in the direction of travel.



21705.  Motor vehicles being driven outside of a business or
residence district in a caravan or motorcade, whether or not towing
other vehicles, shall be so operated as to allow sufficient space and
in no event less than 100 feet between each vehicle or combination
of vehicles so as to enable any other vehicle to overtake or pass.




21706.  No motor vehicle, except an authorized emergency vehicle,
shall follow within 300 feet of any authorized emergency vehicle
being operated under the provisions of Section 21055.
   This section shall not apply to a police or traffic officer when
serving as an escort within the purview of Section 21057.



21706.5.  (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have
the following meanings:
   (1) "Emergency incident zone" means an area on a freeway that is
within 500 feet of, and in the direction of travel of, a stationary
authorized emergency vehicle that has its emergency lights activated.
Traffic in the opposite lanes of the freeway is not in an "emergency
incident zone."
   (2) "Operate a vehicle in an unsafe manner" means operating a
motor vehicle in violation of an act made unlawful under this
division, except a violation of Section 21809.
   (b) A person shall not operate a vehicle in an unsafe manner
within an emergency incident zone.



21707.  No motor vehicle, except an authorized emergency vehicle or
a vehicle of a duly authorized member of a fire or police department,
shall be operated within the block wherein an emergency situation
responded to by any fire department vehicle exists, except that in
the event the nearest intersection to the emergency is more than 300
feet therefrom, this section shall prohibit operation of vehicles
only within 300 feet of the emergency, unless directed to do so by a
member of the fire department or police department, sheriff, deputy
sheriff, or member of the California Highway Patrol. The emergency
shall be deemed to have ceased to exist when the official of the fire
department in charge at the scene of the emergency shall so
indicate. Officials of the fire department or police department or
the Department of the California Highway Patrol who are present shall
make every effort to prevent the closing off entirely of congested
highway traffic passing the scene of any such emergency.



21708.  No person shall drive or propel any vehicle or conveyance
upon, over, or across, or in any manner damage any fire hose or
chemical hose used by or under the supervision and control of any
organized fire department. However, any vehicle may cross a hose
provided suitable jumpers or other appliances are installed to
protect the hose.



21709.  No vehicle shall at any time be driven through or within a
safety zone.



21710.  The driver of a motor vehicle when traveling on down grade
upon any highway shall not coast with the gears of such vehicle in
neutral.


21711.  No person shall operate a train of vehicles when any vehicle
being towed whips or swerves from side to side or fails to follow
substantially in the path of the towing vehicle.



21712.  (a) A person driving a motor vehicle shall not knowingly
permit a person to ride on a vehicle or upon a portion of a vehicle
that is not designed or intended for the use of passengers.
   (b) A person shall not ride on a vehicle or upon a portion of a
vehicle that is not designed or intended for the use of passengers.
   (c) A person driving a motor vehicle shall not knowingly permit a
person to ride in the trunk of that motor vehicle.
   (d) A person shall not ride in the trunk of a motor vehicle.
   (e) A person violating subdivision (c) or (d) shall be punished as
follows:
   (1) By a fine of one hundred dollars ($100).
   (2) For a second violation occurring within one year of a prior
violation that resulted in a conviction, a fine of two hundred
dollars ($200).
   (3) For a third or a subsequent violation occurring within one
year of two or more prior violations that resulted in convictions, a
fine of two hundred fifty dollars ($250).
   (f) Subdivisions (a) and (b) do not apply to an employee engaged
in the necessary discharge of his or her duty or in the case of
persons riding completely within or upon vehicle bodies in the space
intended for a load on the vehicle.
   (g) A person shall not drive a motor vehicle that is towing a
trailer coach, camp trailer, or trailer carrying a vessel, containing
a passenger, except when a trailer carrying or designed to carry a
vessel is engaged in the launching or recovery of the vessel.
   (h) A person shall not knowingly drive a motor vehicle that is
towing a person riding upon a motorcycle, motorized bicycle, bicycle,
coaster, roller skates, sled, skis, or toy vehicle.
   (i) Subdivision (g) does not apply to a trailer coach that is
towed with a fifth-wheel device if the trailer coach is equipped with
safety glazing materials wherever glazing materials are used in
windows or doors, with an audible or visual signaling device that a
passenger inside the trailer coach can use to gain the attention of
the motor vehicle driver, and with at least one unobstructed exit
capable of being opened from both the interior and exterior of the
trailer coach.


21713.  No person shall operate on any highway any privately owned
armored car unless a license to operate such car has first been
obtained from the commissioner in accordance with Chapter 2.5
(commencing with Section 2500) of Division 2.
   Violation of this section is a misdemeanor and upon conviction is
punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000) or
by imprisonment in the county jail for not to exceed six months or by
both such fine and imprisonment.


21714.  The driver of a vehicle described in subdivision (f) of
Section 27803 shall not operate the vehicle in either of the
following areas:
   (a) On, or immediately adjacent to, the striping or other markers
designating adjacent traffic lanes.
   (b) Between two or more vehicles that are traveling in adjacent
traffic lanes.



21715.  (a) No passenger vehicle regardless of weight, or any other
motor vehicle under 4,000 pounds unladen, shall draw or tow more than
one vehicle in combination, except that an auxiliary dolly or tow
dolly may be used with the towed vehicle.
   (b) No motor vehicle under 4,000 pounds unladen shall tow any
vehicle weighing 6,000 pounds or more gross.



21716.  Except as provided in Section 21115.1 and Chapter 6
(commencing with Section 1950) of Division 2.5 of the Streets and
Highways Code, no person shall operate a golf cart on any highway
except in a speed zone of 25 miles per hour or less.




21717.  Whenever it is necessary for the driver of a motor vehicle
to cross a bicycle lane that is adjacent to his lane of travel to
make a turn, the driver shall drive the motor vehicle into the
bicycle lane prior to making the turn and shall make the turn
pursuant to Section 22100.



21718.  (a) No person shall stop, park, or leave standing any
vehicle upon a freeway which has full control of access and no
crossings at grade except:
   (1) When necessary to avoid injury or damage to persons or
property.
   (2) When required by law or in obedience to a peace officer or
official traffic control device.
   (3) When any person is actually engaged in maintenance or
construction on freeway property or any employee of a public agency
is actually engaged in the performance of official duties.
   (4) When any vehicle is so disabled that it is impossible to avoid
temporarily stopping and another vehicle has been summoned to render
assistance to the disabled vehicle or driver of the disabled
vehicle. This paragraph applies when the vehicle summoned to render
assistance is a vehicle owned by the donor of free emergency
assistance that has been summoned by display upon or within a
disabled vehicle of a placard or sign given to the driver of the
disabled vehicle by the donor for the specific purpose of summoning
assistance, other than towing service, from the donor.
   (5) Where stopping, standing, or parking is specifically
permitted. However, buses may not stop on freeways unless sidewalks
are provided with shoulders of sufficient width to permit stopping
without interfering with the normal movement of traffic and without
the possibility of crossing over fast lanes to reach the bus stop.
   (6) Where necessary for any person to report a traffic accident or
other situation or incident to a peace officer or any person
specified in paragraph (3), either directly or by means of an
emergency telephone or similar device.
   (7) When necessary for the purpose of rapid removal of impediments
to traffic by the owner or operator of a tow truck operating under
an agreement with the Department of the California Highway Patrol.
   (b) A conviction of a violation of this section is a conviction
involving the safe operation of a motor vehicle upon the highway if a
notice to appear for the violation was issued by a peace officer
described in Section 830.1 or 830.2 of the Penal Code.



21720.  A pocket bike shall not be operated on a sidewalk, roadway,
or any other part of a highway, or on a bikeway, bicycle path or
trail, equestrian trail, hiking or recreational trail, or on public
lands open to off-highway motor vehicle use.




21721.  (a) A peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing
with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, may cause
the removal and seizure of a pocket bike, upon the notice to appear
for a violation of Section 21720. A pocket bike so seized shall be
held for a minimum of 48 hours.
   (b) A violator of this section shall be responsible for all costs
associated with the removal, seizure, and storage of the pocket bike.
   (c) A city, county, or city and county may adopt a regulation,
ordinance, or resolution imposing charges equal to its administrative
costs relating to the removal, seizure, and storage costs of a
pocket bike. The charges shall not exceed the actual costs incurred
for the expenses directly related to removing, seizing, and storing a
pocket bike.
   (d) An agency shall release a seized pocket bike to the owner,
violator, or the violator's agent after 48 hours, if all of the
following conditions are met:
   (1) The violator or authorized agent's request is made during
normal business hours.
   (2) The applicable removal, seizure, and storage costs have been
paid by the owner, or any other responsible party.