Autonomous vehicles seem to be the future of transportation and California has taken the lead in its adoption. With the rise in popularity of driverless cars, a major issue has been raised – how will they be treated under current traffic laws? According to a report from Godzillanewz, the answer is – they are immune from traffic tickets in the state of California.
California’s traffic laws are set in accordance with the Universal Vehicle Code, which states that all vehicles on the road must be operated with a valid driver’s license. However, since autonomous vehicles don’t have drivers, this statute doesn’t apply to them. Which is why driverless cars are immune from traffic tickets in California.
But at the same time, this doesn’t mean that autonomous vehicles don’t need to abide by traffic laws. For instance, they are still required to follow the speed limit and stop at red lights. California is also actively researching various regulations pertaining to driverless cars including insurance, liability, and safety.
All this being said, it is important to remember that autonomous vehicles are still in the testing phase. As such, their immunity from traffic tickets shouldn’t be taken as an invitation to disregard traffic laws. Currently, the state is doing its best to develop regulations on these vehicles in order to ensure that they can safely be used. Until then, drivers should strive to drive responsibly.
California is leading the US in the adoption of autonomous vehicles. While the state has provided the vehicles with immunity from traffic tickets, it is important to bear in mind that these vehicles still need to abide by traffic laws. Currently, California is researching regulations in order to guarantee the safety of driverless cars and their occupants. Until these regulations come into effect, drivers should maintain a responsible attitude when using these vehicles.
