IMPROV Online Traffic School
Chapter 2: Licensing Controls and Actions
During this segment of the course, you will be reading about your driving privileges and certain responsibilities associated with driving a motor vehicle on public roads. You will also read about the rules and regulations you'll need to follow in order to keep your driving privileges.
Traffic Trivia:
Did you know there are over 200,000,000 licensed drivers in the United States?
And 22,896,000 of them are licensed right here in California!
Pop Quiz —
Q. Drivers who get more tickets are involved in (more or less) crashes?
The correct answer is "more." Drivers who get more tickets also have more collisions.
Driver's License Requirements:
It is required for an application for a driver's license or identification card to contain either the applicant's social security number or the applicant's federal taxpayer identification number in lieu of a social security number. An applicant for a commercial driver's license must include their social security number on the application.
Driver Education and Training
The minimum age for issuance of an instruction permit is 15 years, 6 months. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) may issue an instruction permit to any physically and mentally qualified person who meets the following requirements and who applies to the Department for an instruction permit:
Is age 15 years and 6 months, or over and has successfully completed an approved course in automobile driver education and is taking driver training or is enrolled and participating in an integrated driver education program.
License Classes
The California motor vehicle license classes are defined as follows:
Commercial Class A
The holder of this license class may drive any legal combination of vehicles such as semi-trucks and any vehicles listed under Classes B and C.
Non-commercial Class A
The holder of a non-commercial Class A license may drive all vehicles applicable to Class C.
Commercial Class B
The holder of this license class may drive such vehicles as large trucks, buses, and fire trucks, and those applicable to a Class C license:
- A single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds.
- A three-axle vehicle weighing over 6,000 pounds.
- Any bus or farm vehicle, as long as they have endorsements.
Non-commercial Class B
The holder of a non-commercial Class B license may drive any vehicle listed under the Basic Class C rating or a house-car of 40 feet, but not over 45 feet, with an endorsement.
Basic Class C
A Basic Class C license means you may drive:
- Any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of 26,000 pounds or less.
- Any three-axle vehicle weighing 6,000 pounds or less.
- Any house-car 40 feet or less in length.
A vanpool vehicle designed to carry not more than 15 persons, including the driver. Class C licensees may not tow more than one vehicle.
Note that certain conditions apply to driving a vanpool vehicle:
- The driver must have a valid medical report on file and carry the medical card at all times.
- The driver must also carry a signed certificate on stating that he/she has not been convicted of reckless or drunk driving, or of a hit-and-run in the last five years.
Commercial Class C
The holder of this license may drive any Basic Class C vehicle and those vehicles carrying hazardous materials or wastes. These vehicles require placards with a hazardous materials endorsement.
Driver's License with Restrictions
The DMV may place special conditions or restrictions on your license. A driving test is normally required to remove special conditions or restrictions from your license. The DMV may suspend or revoke your license if you violate a condition or restriction.
Motorized Scooters
In order to operate a motorized scooter, the driver must have a valid class C driver's license or an instruction permit. Altering or modifying the exhaust system of a motorized scooter in violation of specified noise restrictions and muffler requirements is prohibited.
Point System
California uses a point system to identify unsafe drivers, assigning point values for each traffic violation, such as reckless driving, speeding, failing to obey stop signs, or driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs (DUI).
Every time you are convicted of a traffic violation or are involved in a collision, it's recorded on your driving record. Each occurrence stays on your record for 36 months or longer, depending on the type of conviction.
The DMV may refuse to issue you a license if you:
- Have a history of alcohol or drug abuse.
- Have used the license illegally.
- Have lied on your application.
- Do not have the skill to drive.
- Do not understand the traffic laws or signs.
- Have a health problem that makes your driving unsafe.
- Have an outstanding traffic citation because you failed to appear in court or to pay.
- Have not complied with a judgment or order for family support payments.
- Use a crib sheet for any license examination.
- Impersonate an applicant or allow someone else to impersonate you to fraudulently qualify for a license.
- Refuse to give a thumb print.
- Refuse to sign the certification on the license application.
- Submit a fraudulent birth date/legal presence document or social security document.
Most of your driving record file is available to the public.
Law enforcement agencies, employers and insurance companies can check your driving record.
The driving privilege is exactly that - a privilege -
and if you don't treat it right you may lose it.
The DMV is responsible for keeping your driving record on file, and it has the power to cancel, suspend or revoke your license. It is against the law to drive with a canceled, revoked or suspended license, and if you ignore that law you could be fined, jailed, or both.
What Do The Terms Cancel, Revoke And Suspend Mean?
Cancellation:
A driver's license is terminated without prejudice and must be surrendered.
One obvious example of a cancellation is when someone dies. Another example is if you move to another state or country and obtain a different license.
Here's another: Suppose you undergo a sex-change operation. You change your name and you get a complete makeover, transforming yourself into a totally new and different individual. Well, that new and different individual needs to have their current license canceled and another issued. This actually happens!
Your driving privilege can be canceled at any time for failure to comply with the conditions for licensure.
Any person whose license is canceled may immediately apply for a new license.
Revocation:
Revocation means that the person's privilege to drive a motor vehicle is terminated and a new driver's license may be obtained after the period of revocation.
To have your license REVOKED means you did something very foolish and dangerous and the state will take away your license for a long time.
What if a person (hopefully not you!) were driving after consuming alcohol and injured someone? Wouldn't you want this person to be removed from our streets? The DMV or the court might take away or revoke the driver's license for a period of time ranging from 6 months all the way up to life. A new license may be obtained after the period of revocation and upon meeting certain conditions.
Here are some reasons you could face mandatory revocation of your license.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other controlled substances.
- Not stopping to give help when the vehicle you are driving is involved in a crash.
- Committing insurance fraud, such as knowingly participating in a vehicle collision in order to collect damages.
- Reckless driving causing bodily injury.
- An immoral act in which a motor vehicle was used. (So be on your best behavior!)
- Three major offenses, or 15 total offenses, for which you receive points within a 5-year period.
- Voluntary or involuntary vehicular manslaughter.
- Driving a commercial vehicle without proper licensing.
- A felony in which a motor vehicle is used. (Remember—if you are planning to hit a bank, DO NOT USE YOUR CAR FOR A GETAWAY VEHICLE! That would get you 15 to 20 years in jail, and you would lose your license!)
Suspension:
The most common action the DMV may take is to SUSPEND your license. If you are notified that your driving privilege has been suspended, you must surrender your license.
Suspending your driver's license means the DMV temporarily takes away your driving privilege. How can your license be suspended? One of the measurements the DMV uses to track your driving performance is the amount of points you accumulate on your driving record. You may be considered a negligent operator of a motor vehicle if your driving record shows any one of the following "point count" totals. The DMV may suspend your driver's license if you accumulate:
- 4 or More Points in 12 Months
- 6 Points in 24 Months, or
- 8 Points in 36 Months
The thresholds are lower for drivers with a class A license. You maybe considered a negligent operator if your point totals are 6 points in 12 months, 8 in 24, or 10 in 36 months.
If you are a minor and convicted of carrying a concealed weapon, your driving privileges can be suspended for up to 5 years. The driving privileges of a minor might also be delayed or restricted if they are convicted of vandalism or of being habitually truant from school.
If your license has been suspended, you must do the following to reinstate your license:
- Serve the period of suspension.
- Attend any required driver improvement school.
- Pay any service fee in addition to any fines ordered by court.
- Show proof of insurance.
- You may also be required to re-take parts of the license test.
How Many Points Do You Get On Your Record For Specific Offenses?
You are assigned ONE POINT for:
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You are assigned TWO POINTS for:
- Evading a peace officer - reckless driving.
- Driving while your license is suspended or revoked.
- Leaving the scene of an crash where there's injury or property damage.
- Driving on the wrong side of a divided highway.
- Speeding in excess of 100 MPH.
- Reckless driving.
- Racing (speed contest).
- A minor driving with a BAC of .05 or more.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- A moving violation, not involving unlawful speed, which results in a collision.
Regardless of the point count, many serious offenses in which a vehicle is used are punishable by heavy penalties, such as fines and/or imprisonment.
Evading a Peace Officer
If you run, you better not get caught. Evading an officer may land you in the county jail for 6 months to one year. In addition, if anyone gets hurt, you are looking at a minimum of 3 to 7 years in the state prison, and 4 to 10 if it results in death. As cool as a feeway chase may look on Channel 9 News, it's a serious offense!
Riding in the trunk of a car is illegal (and is not very smart)
A reminder for those who haven't figured that out a law has passed, making it a misdemeanor violation for a driver and a infraction for a passenger.
An important bit for Commercial Drivers
A driver of a commercial vehicle may not operate a commercial motor vehicle for 1 year for the first conviction of certain serious offences, including DUI, hit and run, or vehicular manslaughter, while driving any vehicle, not just a commercial vehicle. The law provides for permanent disqualification of a commercial driver for two or more convictions of specified offenses, while driving any vehicle.
Suspension by Judge
A judge may suspend the license of anyone convicted of:
- Breaking speed laws or reckless driving.
- 30 days on the first conviction.
- 60 days on the second conviction.
- Six months on the third or subsequent conviction.
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Hit and run.
- Engaging in lewd conduct and prostitution in a vehicle within a 1,000 feet of a residence.
- Assaulting a driver, passenger, bicyclist, or pedestrian when the offense occurs on a highway (road rage). The person may be required to complete a court-approved anger management course.
- Failure to stop as required at a railway grade crossing.
- Recklessly fleeing a law enforcement officer.
- Serious offenses in which a vehicle is used are punishable by heavy penalties, such as fines and/or imprisonment.
Collision Reports and Financial Responsibility
Failure to stop at the scene of a collision where your vehicle caused property damage, injury or death makes you a hit-and-run driver, subject to severe penalties.
If you are involved in a crash, you or your insurance agent, broker, or legal representative must submit a written crash report to:
- The police or CHP within 24 hours of the collision if someone is killed or injured.
You must report a collision to the DMV within 10 days if:
- More than $750 in damage was done to the property of any person.
- Anyone was injured (no matter how slightly), or killed.
You must submit a California Traffic Accident Report Form SR1 to the DMV. This form is also available online: DMV.ca.gov: Traffic Accident Report (SR 1)
Each driver is responsible for submitting a report to the DMV. The driver's insurance agent, broker, or local representative can also do this. The CHP or police will not submit this report for you. You must submit this report, whether you are at fault or not, and even if the collision occurred on private property. If you don't submit this report, your driving privilege will be suspended.
California's Financial Responsibility Law
California's Financial Responsibility Law requires every driver and every owner of a motor vehicle to maintain financial responsibility (liability coverage) at all times.
There are four (4) accepted forms of financial responsibility:
- A motor vehicle liability insurance policy.
- A deposit of $35,000 with DMV.
- A surety bond for $35,000 obtained from a company licensed to do business in California.
- A DMV-issued self-insurance certificate.
You must carry written proof of financial responsibility whenever you drive, and show it to a police officer after a citation stop or crash. You may have to pay a fine or have your vehicle impounded if you don't. If you don't have acceptable proof of financial responsibility and are involved in a collision, you may lose your driver's license for up to four years.
The DMV is mandated by law to cancel your registration if you don't have proof of financial responsibility. Additionally, the DMV may charge a reinstatement fee to cover the cost of reinstating the registration after cancellation.
How to Refer an Unsafe Driver
If you are concerned for the safety of a family member, friend, or other person who can no longer drive safely, you can write to your local Driver Safety Office or the address given below and ask for a Request For Driver Reexamination (DS 699) form. The form is also available on DMV's web site at DMV.ca.gov: (DS 699). Provide the person's name, birth date, driver license number and current address, and explain what you observed that led you to believe the person is an unsafe driver. The letter must be signed; however you may request that your name be kept confidential. Mail your letter or form to:
Department of Motor Vehicles
Driver Safety Actions Unit
M/S J234
Sacramento, CA 94290-0001
Someone from DMV will contact the person for a reexamination. They could be suspended, depending on the person's driving record. A driving test will be given to any person when:
- A physician reports the person has lapses in consciousness.
- A traffic officer requests a DMV review and believes the driver is incapable of operating a vehicle safely.
- A relative makes a good-faith report to the DMV stating the driver cannot safely operate a vehicle.
Let's Review
- There are over 200 million licensed drivers in the U.S.
- Your driving record is available to the public.
- You may lose your license if you accumulate too many points on your record.
- Your license can be canceled if you give incorrect information, or if you move to another state,
- To reinstate a suspended license, you will need to serve the period of suspension, pay any applicable service fees, and any fines ordered by court.
- You cannot drive on a revoked, canceled or suspended license.
- You must report a collision with damages over $750 to the DMV within 10 days.
- You are required to carry one of the four acceptable forms of proof of financial responsibility.
NOTE: SAMPLE COURSE PAGES ARE FOR YOUR PREVIEW ONLY AND WILL NOT GIVE YOU TRAFFIC SCHOOL CREDIT. PLEASE REGISTER BY SELECTING A STATE BELOW.
If you are experiencing any difficulties or have any questions, please
contact Customer Service at 1.800.660.8908, or email support@myimprov.com.
All Improv Traffic School courses are DMV and/or court-approved for online Traffic School and Online Defensive Driving. Many commercial fleets use our Defensive Driving courses in California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, New Jersey and New York. Some of our most popular programs include: California Online Traffic School, for the CA Court System; Florida DMV Traffic School - Basic Driver Improvement; Georgia court-approved defensive driving course; Idaho DMV Defensive Driving Course; New Jersey DMV Defensive Driving Program; NYS DMV Defensive Driving Program.