 | Driving in California |  | Each of the 50 States in the USA has its own driving regulations. Fortunately most are similar but there can be some peculiarities. It is always worth asking at the car hire desk when you pick up your vehicle if there are any state-specific laws you should be aware of. Here is a guide to driving in California. For more information on highway regulations, please follow this link Driving in California - Drive on the right
 Carry your driver’s license with you whenever you are driving plus your passport as proof of your ID- The minimum age for hiring a car in California is 21 years
- Do not drink and drive. If you are arrested for driving under the influence, your blood alcohol level will be tested
- Seat belts must be worn by all passengers, front and rear
- It is illegal to carry more passengers than there are seat belts/safety restraints
- Children under 6 years old must ride in the rear, in an approved safety seat
- It is permitted to turn right at a red light, once you have stopped to ensure the way is clear and there are no signs to indicate otherwise.
- Speed limits may be reduced at times of heavy traffic or bad weather but remember you can be given a ticket for driving too slowly if the police believe you are “blocking the reasonable movement of traffic”. Despite posted speed signs, you should never drive faster than is safe given the current road conditions.
- Speed limits around schools are usually 25mph - do not speed in these areas
- Four Way Stops are commonplace - whoever gets there first, goes first and then everyone else takes turns in the order in which they arrived. If more than two cars arrive at the same time, the order goes clockwise.
- Pedestrians have the right of way at corners with or without traffic lights, whether or not the crossings are marked by painted white lines.
- Pedestrians have right of way on marked crossings
- You must make a full stop at a STOP sign
- A flashing red light means STOP but you can then proceed with caution if nothing else is coming
- It is illegal to pass a stopped school bus with flashing red lights. Drivers approaching a stopped bus, from either direction, must stop and give way to crossing school children. You must not resume your journey until the bus continues on its way.
- Two solid yellow lines mean no passing
- Parking regulations are strictly enforced. Always park in the same direction as the traffic flow. Watch for coloured curbs - white signifies drop off zone only, green is a limited time stopping area, yellow has strict time restrictions, red is a no parking zone and blue is for disabled parking only.
- Funeral processions have right of way
- Do not park within 15 foot of a fire hydrant
- Do not litter the roadside - there are strict penalties
 If you are involved in a collision, you are permitted to move your car out of the traffic unless anyone has sustained injuries in which case you must wait for the Highway Patrol.- Any accidents which incur more than $500 of damage or where anyone is injured or killed must be reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles
- If you are paying for your petrol in cash, be aware that you may have to pay the cashier before filling up. Most petrol stations will accept credit cards.
- If you encounter an earthquake whilst driving in California, you should stop at the side of the road, away from any bridges and telegraph poles.
- Be aware how hot your radiator may become if you are driving in hot temperatures with your car’s electrics working hard - particularly relevant if you decide to visit Death Valley. It is always advisable to carry spare water with you.
- Remember that the fog can roll in quickly, particularly around San Francisco. In foggy conditions, drive slowly with your lights on low beam and watch out for Highway Patrol “pace” cars to guide you.
- If two cars meet on a steep hill, the car travelling down the hill must give way to the car driving uphill
- Remember that distances between towns (and petrol stations) can be vast so it is always best to ensure you have enough fuel for your journey.
- Check the latest road conditions online by following this link
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 | Readers tip about driving in California |  | Katie Lewis from Cornwall says
“When travelling in California, I decided to take the famously picturesque Highway 1 North from Beverly Hills to Monterey. However, I was so awed by the beauty of the beaches and the proximity of the endearing sea otters and magnificent elephant seals when I stopped for a breather at Piedras Blancas, that I totally lost track of time!
As I continued on my journey it became progressively more difficult to appreciate the spectacular scenery as fog and darkness began their reign, surprisingly early it seemed to me. Soon I could no longer see beyond the head-lit portion of the dramatically steep, narrow and twisting road ahead. I was disappointed to find myself unable to appreciate the stunning views I knew to be so close on my left, but worse was to come: my low fuel warning light came on and there was absolutely nowhere in the vicinity where I could fill-up! All the pumps in the few villages at intervals along the road seemed by this point to be long-closed. Being an ignorant Brit, I hadn't realised quite how wild and remote the Big Sur stretch of Highway 1 is, and that once on the road you're as good as committed! I began to have terrifying visions of my rental car simply dying in the middle of the road, with me having to get out push it to the relative safety of the verge (without even the benefit of hazard lights) to camp on the back seat for the night! I couldn't even bear to contemplate how I'd manage to get hold of some petrol the next day, in the middle of nowhere, in order to continue on my journey!
Anyway, I decided to keep going for the time being and, in an attempt to make the most of my dwindling gas supply, I was taking the bends at what felt like a hair-raising speed. I was pretty much fueling the car with my will-power! Imagine my relief when I did magically come across some still-open self-service pumps in an unidentified settlement at about 10pm. In dismay though, I realised that I couldn't purchase any fuel with my British credit card, since I didn't have the necessary code! My skin was saved however, by an American family from out of state who'd also been taken unawares and run out of fuel on the long, isolated stretch of road! The lady very kindly filled up my tank using her card in return for cash which I fortunately had in my purse, and we were both able to complete our journeys in a rather more relaxed fashion. So my advice to other drivers considering taking this same route would be go for it, but only if you are able to plan enough time to stop and appreciate the beaches AND complete your journey before nightfall. And most importantly fill up your tank before you pass Morro Bay!” |
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