Vehicle Code 22107 CVC -- Unsafe Lane Changes

There is often a lot of confusion when receiving a traffic citation in the mail. Not only are you unsure of why you got it, but you also might not know the ins and outs of what the actual violation is. If you have recently gotten a Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation, here are the details to keep in mind. Below are all of the must-know basics, including the following focus points:

• What 22107 CVC is
• What it means to have violated it
• What you can do about the violation
• Other possible Vehicle Code violation connections
• How to avoid being cited with a Vehicle Code 22107 VC violation

What is 22107 CVC?

The citation that you receive is going to state the actual offense that you get, so it makes the most sense to start with the legislative definition. In the code itself, a Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation states: “No person shall turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the manner provided in this chapter in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.”

Thankfully, the overall comprehension for this one is clear, but let’s take a look at it anyway, all the same. This rule states that a driver can’t turn a vehicle right or left or even move the vehicle right or left without proper signaling beforehand.

What does it mean to have violated 22107 CVC?

As always, with driving regulations, the rule seems black and white until it comes to the point where you may accidentally violate it when driving. To give you a sense of what it actually looks like when driving, we’re going to create a fictional California driver — Collin — and put him behind the wheel to show a few situations.

In the first instance, let’s say that Collin is driving to work and, due to feeling tired, realizes he’s accidentally in the wrong lane. To ensure he doesn’t miss his turn, he swings into the correct lane without signaling. Regardless of whether there are any other cars around him, lane changing without signaling is considered a Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation. The lack of a signal would make the violation stick in traffic court.

In another situation, Collin is on his way to his dad’s house for dinner. He decides to change lanes to get around a slower-moving vehicle ahead of him. He signals but does this at the same time as changing lanes. While it’s a good thing that he did signal, Collin signaled too late to notify the other drivers he would be changing lanes, and this made his lane change too abrupt to be safe. He would be guilty of a Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation as a result.

Lastly, Collin is driving home from a night out with friends. His plan is to change lanes so that he can make the turn into his apartment building parking lot. He signals his intention and waits but does not check his surroundings before changing lanes. He comes dangerously close to hitting a vehicle already in the lane. Even though he did “everything right” from the perspective of signaling and waiting, Collin is still guilty of a Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation because part of this code refers to ensuring that the lane he is changing into is clear and safe. This, of course, can be a tricky situation, which is why seeing these examples laid out can be helpful.

As you might guess, there are a few exceptions to receiving a Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation. For example, let’s say that Collin signals his intention and waits the proper time to show other drivers what he is doing. If he checks that the lane is clear and then changes into that lane only to find that a car or bicycle has rushed up from behind and is now “blocking” the lane, he would be innocent of a Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation. This is because he did everything he could to signal his intent and make sure the change was clear; the other driver was irresponsible and drove improperly into the lane from behind. 

Another exception would be if Collin is driving and an emergency vehicle comes up behind him. His responsibility is to move into the next lane to clear the road. He then signals and moves lanes quickly. In this case, he would be innocent of a Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation because he was doing what he needed to do to allow emergency vehicles through.

What can I do about this violation?

As with any traffic citation, you will receive a notice in the mail that includes the violation number itself and also issues a court date. On this date, you will need to show up on time to traffic court and enter your plea of being innocent or guilty of the offense.

This traffic citation carries with it a fine of $238. It also will add 1 DMV point to your license. This point will be visible to the DMV, insurance agents, and peace officers when they check your record. 

As we will discuss later, this DMV point is especially important, and you may have the option of masking it by attending traffic school.
If you are guilty of this traffic offense, then it is in your best interest to enter a guilty plea and accept the DMV point, the fine, and any other court fees added to it. This is seen as respectful of the court’s time.

However, you will want to enter your plea as innocent if you know you are innocent of a Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation or if you qualify for one of the exemptions that we talked about earlier. You will need to argue your case and provide evidence of this, however, so you should strongly consider having an experienced traffic attorney to help with this.

The most important thing to remember about your plea is to enter it honestly. If you know you are guilty, enter a guilty plea, not an innocent one, to get out of the fine and other punishment. This will only add time and expense to your court date and may end up with the same result. Plus, the court can add additional fees and charges, as we’ll discuss next.

Other possible Vehicle Code violation connections

There are several traffic citations that are similar to a Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation. These can be added to your profile when you arrive for your court date. The most closely related ones include the following:

• Vehicle Code 22018: This code refers to when you change lanes and do not signal at all, which is very close to this code violation.
• Vehicle Code 22109: Receiving this violation means that you have stopped suddenly with no warning or signaling to other nearby drivers.
• Vehicle Code 22111: This code refers to the need to use proper, legal hand signals to show your intent to stop or move if your signal lights are not working while driving.

These codes, as mentioned, can be added to your account on your court date. The court or peace officer may decide that some or all of these apply to the situation where you received your Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation. These codes all carry their own fines nad penalties, too. So, depending on the situation, you may receive additional punishments!

It’s worth noting that the peace officer or court may also decide to use one or more of these similar codes to replace the Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation if they decide this is better.

Is this ticket eligible for traffic school?

Remember how we mentioned the possibility of traffic school earlier? Since a Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation is a moving offense, you’ll find some relief in knowing that a Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation is eligible for traffic school. You can consider attending an accredited traffic school, such as MM TRAFFIC SCHOOL if you have not already attended traffic school within the past 16 months and did not commit the offense in a commercial vehicle.

The reason moving offenses are valid for traffic schools is that the violation itself is caused by a forgotten rule that can be remembered through proper education on driving. It refers to specific tickets where the way you drive your vehicle is the reason for the offense.

Attending traffic school helps you relearn outdated driving instructions and refresh your memory on some of those smaller, obscure codes that are very important for safety on the road. Other advantages to modern traffic school attendance include a fun learning environment, an opportunity to ask for more clarity on confusing violations, and the opportunity to mask your DMV point.

If you have any other questions about our programs or traffic school in general, please contact us. If you are looking for specific information on your specific Vehicle Code 22107 CVC violation, you’ll want to contact the court that issued the mailed citation.