Vehicle Code 22108 VC – Failure to Signal Before Turning or Changing Lanes
An important part of driver safety is communicating with other drivers about where you are going. Of course, turning signals are a huge part of that. If you have recently received a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation, it may turn out that you have made a mistake specifically regarding your communication as you are driving. Not sure what that means or what it looks like? We’ll cover all of the essential information, including:
- What Vehicle Code 22108 VC 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 22108 VC violation
What is Vehicle Code 22108 VC?
Starting with the legal definition is as good a place as any to get an in-depth understanding of Vehicle Code 22108 VC and its violation. The California legislature states that a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation is related to the requirement that: “Any signal of intention to turn right or left shall be given continuously during the last 100 feet traveled by the vehicle before turning.” Even at first glance, that description sounds pretty simple. Yet, violating it can be easier to do than most people think, leading many to feel confused after receiving a citation for a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation in the mail. So, let’s go deeper into it using examples to understand what is going on.What does it mean to have violated Vehicle Code 22108 VC?
Now that we have a general understanding of what a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation actually is let’s dive into more detail. For best results, let’s put our fictional California drive, Nessa, into a few situations.
Nessa is driving down the street and forgets that she wants to turn right into her friend’s driveway. She is 10 feet away from the turn when she puts her signal light on. She would be guilty of a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation because she is required to signal her turn at least 100 feet from the turn itself.
Similarly, Nessa is driving home from her friend’s house. She turns into her driveway at the last minute, braking as she does so. In this situation, she would be guilty of a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation because she didn’t give any notice to the turn, nor did she signal at all.
Nessa is on her way to work one morning and decides to pass a slower vehicle directly ahead of her. She moves into the left lane and passes the vehicle before continuing on. She would be guilty of a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation here because she did not signal before changing lanes to pass the slower vehicle.
Another important reason for a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation is this. Nessa decides to turn left into a store that she wants to go into. She signals properly at 100 feet and slows down to complete the turn. Instead of yielding to the traffic coming, she turns quickly into the lot. This is a tricky situation because the laws about the right-of-way are under different vehicle codes. However, California courts declare that signaling drivers have a responsibility to yield per those codes and a Vehicle Code 22108 VC requirement. So, Nessa could be charged with a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation because she technically isn’t signaling properly (according to the courts).
There are a few exceptions to a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation if Nessa were to receive a citation. One is simply a misunderstanding from the peace officer who issues the ticket. If Nessa did signal properly when passing, but the peace officer misinterpreted that, then she is innocent of a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation.
Similarly, if Nessa has a signal light that is not working properly and doesn’t know it, then she would be innocent of a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation because she believes she is signaling properly. Of course, a peace officer could issue a different ticket for a burnt-out light.
This is different from knowingly driving without functioning traffic signals, of course. If she were to be driving without functioning signal lights, she is required to use hand signals to tell she is turning. This is explained in more detail below!
Of course, signaling, moving, and turning off are very different when there is an emergency vehicle behind you. In this case, Nessa’s goal is to get out of the way as quickly as she can, safely. She can signal and turn quickly as long as she is not putting other vehicles at risk to do so.
Lastly, Nessa would be innocent of a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation if she is not acting of her own volition. That is, she is being threatened by someone in her vehicle to change lanes, make turns, etc by someone else in the vehicle. Because she feels she has no choice but to do so, she would be innocent of a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation.
What can I do about this violation?
As you likely already know, you will find out that you have a violation by receiving a piece of mail. In that letter, you’ll have the citation violation, and it will also give you a court date. On that date, you must attend traffic court and enter your plea of innocent or guilty for this violation. Like other similar violations, this one has two main penalties for California drivers to be aware of. The first is a fine of $238.00 that will be combined with legal/court fees for you to pay. The other main part of this violation is that it can add a DMV point to your driving record. This DMV point is visible to traffic cops, insurance agents, and more. Its presence can increase your likelihood of an insurance rate rise, and it also can mean a potential for additional traffic citations, depending on the situation where a traffic officer looks up your record. In the letter, there will be a part that may allow you to consider traffic school as a way to address the citation. We’ll cover that a bit later. Attending traffic court on your designated day and time is required. You must enter your honest plea to the citation. If you know that you are guilty of a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation, it is always in your best interests to enter your plea this way and pay the court the fine and fees. If you are innocent, you can enter your plea that way, though you will need to be able to prove this. To give you the best results, you can consider hiring a traffic attorney who can help you plead your case and attend court on your behalf.Other possible Vehicle Code violation connections
There are several other traffic code violation possibilities that could be added to your existing Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation citation. These include the following: Vehicle Code 21750 VC: This citation explains that drivers need to pass on the left side of the other vehicle/object. Vehicle Code 21751 VC: This similar code explains the neeed to pass on the left only if you can do so safely. Vehicle Code 21752 VC: This violation directly relates to preventing passing during specific situations, as they apply to the citation timing. Vehicle Code 21753 VC: This code is for the car being passed and states that the vehicle must yield to the car passing it. Vehicle Code 21754 VC: This citation would be for passing on the right, which is allowed in certain situations. Vehicle Code 21755 VC: This similar code lists further rules about passing on the right instead of the left. Vehicle Code 21756 VC: This citation would relate specifically to rules about how and when drivers can pass city buses and streetcars. Vehicle Code 21757 VC: This goes into more detail about passing streetcars and buses. It also explains more information about passing on the left in further detail, including limitations. Vehicle Code 21758 VC: This code would be for rules about passing slow-moving vehicles, specifically when traveling on grades. Vehicle Code 21759 VC: This citation would be for rules about passing animals, including livestock and horses. Vehicle Code 22109: This vehicle code violation is related to stopping without signaling, as required Vehicle Code 22111: This citation would be for not using proper hand signals to indicate a turn if needed. As you can see, there are a lot of similar vehicle code possibilities that can be added to or used to replace a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation. All of these can carry their own penalties, too. If they are added to a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation, you would need to enter separate please for each of these. The court or peace officer issuing the citation (or citations) can choose to add any of these or use any of these in place of the Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation.Is this ticket eligible for traffic school?
As mentioned earlier, certain tickets are eligible for you to attend traffic school as a part of your plea. Traffic school is an option for tickets that are considered moving offenses, situations where the offense is not charged for a commercial vehicle, and situations where the licensed driver has not attended traffic school in the past 16 months. Vehicle Code 22108 VC is eligible for traffic school as it is considered a moving offense (it is a ticket issued specifically relating to how you drive your vehicle). You must attend an accredited traffic school, such as MM TRAFFIC SCHOOL, in order to get credit for attending. Many are hesitant to consider traffic school at first. It is time spent learning techniques they already know. However, a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation is specifically for an offense that is related to how you drive. Correcting that behavior allows you to be a safer, better, and wiser driver in the short and long term. As well, attending traffic school gives you the very real benefit of masking the 1 DMV point that would otherwise be on your driving record. Since this can impact how a potential future traffic cop (or court) decides to ticket you, and it also can impact your insurance rates, it is seriously worth considering. MM TRAFFIC SCHOOL prioritizes accessible, educational, and modern classes that make learning driving techniques fun and memorable. This will be a positive experience in and of itself for those who are interested in attending. If you are interested in learning more about how our program works or in learning more general information about a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation, please contact us. If you are specifically looking for more information about your case, you can contact the court that issued your ticket.How can I avoid a citation for a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation?
Doing what you can to avoid a ticket is important for your driving record, your safety, and your peace of mind. When it comes to avoiding a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation itself, most of the preparation is going to be in remembering the importance of signaling when changing lanes or turning into a location.
Firstly, it’s always better to “over-signal” than “under-signal”. Signal before 100 feet if you are worried that you might do it within 100 feet. The drivers behind you will always appreciate that since the rear driver is the whole reason that Vehicle Code 22108 VC exists.
If you are aware of the fact that you need to stop and signal within 100 feet, then it is safer to simply continue on and turn around when it is safe to do so. After all, the inconvenience of traffic court and the fine of a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation are important to consider. Remember: if you receive a Vehicle Code 22108 VC violation, it is because you are knowingly turning or changing lanes less than 100 feet before doing so. If you are not acting of your own volition, or you do not know there is an issue with your signal light, then Vehicle Code 22108 VC does not apply.
SOURCES