Traffic Division

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The traffic bureau has many functions in the Glendora Police Department, but our primary function is to reduce property damage and injuries by reducing traffic collisions. We do this by incorporating the three "E's" of traffic safety - Education, Enforcement and Engineering.

The traffic bureau is responsible for traffic safety EDUCATION classes in many of the schools in Glendora. The classes usually address topics such as driving under the influence, bicycle and pedestrian safety, and vehicle occupant safety.

ENFORCEMENT of traffic laws is done both by officers in the traffic bureau and in patrol through the use of directed enforcement and checkpoints. We also participate in regional task force efforts to reduce the number of drunk drivers on the road.

The traffic bureau assists the City of Glendora Traffic Engineers by identifying potential problems affecting traffic flow throughout the City. Traffic problems can often be solved through ENGINEERING rather than enforcement.

QUESTIONS
If you have questions about the vehicle code laws and their interpretations, please feel free to call the traffic division at the Glendora Police Department (626) 914-8277. Also, let us know if you have any questions about how traffic laws apply to streets in Glendora by e-mailing the Traffic Division.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PARKING REGULATIONS

CHILD PASSENGER LAWS

Every hour, 150 children between newborn and 19 years old are treated in emergency departments for injuries sustained in motor vehicle crashes. More children 5 -19 years old die from crash-related injuries than from any other type of injury.

71% of fatalities and 67% of the serious injuries could have been prevented if they were buckled up. Child safety seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers. For children 4-7 years old, 59% of the injuries could have been prevented with the use of booster seats to position the lap and shoulder belt. More than 90% of child safety seats being inspected are used incorrectly.

CHILD RESTRAINT LAWS

27360 VC: All children under 8 years old must be properly buckled into a safety seat or booster in the back seat.
Exceptions:

A child under 8 years old who is at least 4’9” may wear a vehicle safety belt
(without a booster) if the belt fits properly
If the child is in an emergency vehicle or there is a life-threatening emergency and there is no safety seat available
Physical unfitness, medical condition, or size may be cause for exemption

27360.5 VC: Children 8 years old or older may use the vehicle safety belt if it fits properly with the lap belt low on the hips, touching the upper thighs, and the shoulder belt crossing the center of the chest. If the vehicle safety belt does not fit properly, they need a booster or safety seat.

27360(b) VC: All children under 2 years old must be secured in rear-facing child safety seats, unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall.

MISCELLANEOUS CHILD PASSENGER LAWS:

15620 VC: A child 6 years old or less may not be left alone in a vehicle if the health and safety of the child is at risk, the engine is running, or the keys are in the ignition. The child must be supervised by someone at least 12 years old.

118948(a) H&S: Smoking in a vehicle is prohibited if a child under 18 years old is in the vehicle.

LINKS:

If you have questions about child passenger safety seats or laws, contact us:

Send an email

CHILD SAFETY SEATS

Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the United States. Many of these deaths can be prevented. Placing children in age and size appropriate child safety seats and booster seats reduce serious and fatal injuries by more than half.
*WHICH TYPE OF CHILD SAFETY SEAT SHOULD YOUR* CHILD BE IN?**
Rear-Facing Only Seat: Can be used until the baby reaches the maximum weight of the seat (22-35 lbs.) or the baby’s head is within one inch of the top edge of the seat. Must be rear-facing.
	Convertible Safety Seat: Older babies and toddlers MUST ride in a rear-facing convertible seat until they are at least two years old. Check manufacturer’s instructions for the maximum weight (30-50 lbs.). The convertible seat can be switched to forward-facing when the child weighs 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall.
Forward-Facing Only Safety Seat: This seat can only be used forward-facing and should not be used until the child is a minimum of 2-years-old. Children should ride in a safety seat with a harness as long as possible (40-90 lbs., depending on the model).
	Safety Booster Seat: Children who have outgrown their safety seats need a booster for proper belt fit (usually until age 10-12). To find out if a child is tall enough to wear just a safety belt, try the 5-Step Test (see below). 5-Step Test (Conduct without Booster): 1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat? 2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat? 3. Is the lap belt below the tummy, touching the thighs? 4. Is the shoulder belt centered on the shoulder and chest? 5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip? If you answered “no” to any of these questions, your child still needs a booster seat to ride safely in the car.
If you would like to set up an appointment to have your Child Safety Seat inspected or have any questions regarding child safety seats, please contact us.Walk-ins are welcome, but you may have to wait based on call volume. Child Passenger Safety at the Glendora Police Department Email the Glendora Police Department

CROSSING GUARDS

The Crossing Guards working in the City of Glendora are responsible for the safe passage of students to school. They have undertaken a serious responsibility. Our students will rely upon them and their good judgment to get them across the streets safely. Crossing Guards act as leaders and first line of defense at the crossing locations. The parents, students, school officials and the police department appreciate and respect their contribution to keeping our children safe.

Our Crossing Guard Program is managed by All City Management Services (ACMS) which also serves several of our surrounding cities. If you are interested in becoming a crossing guard in Glendora please contact ACMS at (310) 202-8284 or visit their website at http://www.thecrossingguardcompany.com/

For questions or comments regarding any of our Crossing Guards you should also contact ACMS at the above number.

GEM ELECTRIC VEHICLES

There have been numerous sightings of these new types of vehicles out and about in the City of Glendora. One of the reasons could be that one of the main vendors for GEM electric vehicles is here in our City. They are a great source of transportation, but there are rules that they must follow while on the road. According to the California Vehicle Code, the GEM electric vehicle is defined as a “low speed vehicle.”

Electric vehicles operators:

All operators must have at least a Class “C” California license or provisional license.

Electric vehicles must have:

Current registration and insurance to operate vehicles on the roadway.
All safety equipment, seat belts and required lighting equipment.
If you have questions regarding the equipment, ask your sales person.

The Electric Vehicle operation:

The operator of a low-speed vehicle shall not operate the vehicle on any roadway with a speed limit in excess of 35 miles per hour.
The operator of a low-speed vehicle may cross a roadway with a speed limit in excess of 35 miles per hour if the crossing begins and ends on a roadway with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less and occurs at an intersection of approximately 90 degrees.
A person operating a low speed vehicle upon a roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time, shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, allowing traffic to pass.

Low Speed Vehicle Sections Link

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/california-driver-handbook/laws-and-rules-of-the-road-cont1/

Link to GEM Vehicles

http://www.gemcar.com/

HELMET, BICYCLE, AND SKATEBOARD SAFETY

The law requires all persons under the age of 18 to wear a helmet while riding a bicycle, a non-motorized scooter, a skateboard, or while wearing in-line skates or roller skates. It also requires passengers under 18 years of age to wear helmets.

Nearly 50 percent of children 14 and under who are hospitalized for bicycle, in-line skating and skateboarding-related injuries are diagnosed with a brain injury. Bicycle injuries and deaths affect children and young people more than any other age group.

The Glendora Police Department wants to ensure the safety of your child and has created the “Notice of Bicycle/Skateboard Equipment Violations” as an educational reminder to help your child understand the importance of wearing a helmet and obeying traffic laws and municipal codes while operating a bicycle or skateboard.

The program was initiated for your child’s safety. These violation notices are not citations. The sole purpose of the notice is to remind the child of important safety issues. If the child commits the same violation again, it could result in an actual citation which can consist of a fine and/or court appearance.

If you have any questions regarding helmet safety, please contact the Glendora Police Department Traffic Division

(626)914-8250
Email the Traffic Division

MOTORIZED SCOOTERS

Glendora residents are noticing an increase in the number of motorized scooters on the streets. The term “motorized scooters” applies whether or not the scooters are electrically or gas powered units. These scooters can become extremely dangerous for the people riding them if the riders are not familiar with some of the new laws governing their use. Parents who choose to allow their children to operate these motorized scooters must also ensure that their children meet the following legal requirements while on the city streets.

Motorized Scooter Operators:

Driver must be at least 16 years old and have a Class C driver’s license or an instruction permit.
Must wear a bicycle helmet that is properly secured.
Must not carry passengers, packages or other articles that prevent them from having at least one hand on the handlebars.
Must follow the rules of the road.
Must ride in a Bike Lane when present.
Driver shall ride as close to the right curb as possible, except to pass or turn left.

A Motorized Scooter is required to have:

A brake on at least one wheel.
A scooter must have a muffler.
A white light to the front end and a red light to the rear if driven at night.
A white or yellow reflector on each side if driven at night.

A Motorized Scooter shall not:

Have a modified exhaust system in a manner that will amplify or increase the noise level emitted by the motor.
Be operated on the street if the speed limit of the street is over 25 miles per hour, unless a Bike Lane is present.
Be operated on the sidewalks.
Travel in excess of 15 miles per hour.

For the most part, the only streets in the City of Glendora that have a speed limit of 25 miles per hour are neighborhood residential streets. Please use extreme caution when driving near a scooter on the road. The Glendora Police Department will be enforcing the California Vehicle Code in regards to motorized scooters.

References:

Motorized Scooters

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/new-registration/motorcycles-mopeds-and-scooters/

Mini Motorcycles (Pocket Rockets)

https://www.chp.ca.gov/programs-services/programs/california-motorcyclist-safety/motorcycles-and-similar-vehicles

PROVISIONAL DRIVER'S LICENSES

Because teens are so highly over-represented in traffic crashes, the law requires young drivers to spend more time behind the wheel gaining the experience needed for safe driving. Teens must hold an instruction permit for six months before applying for a provisional license. During this time, they must log 50 hours of adult-supervised driving practice.

Because night-time driving poses a greater risk for teens, the instruction permit period requires 10 of the 50 hours of practice to occur during darkness. The law also restricts late-night driving during the first year of a provisional license.

Because the risk for teen passengers is greater with teen drivers, the law restricts under-age-20 passengers for the first year of a provisional license, until the teen gains more driving experience.

Provisional Driver’s License Restrictions – You must be accompanied and supervised by a license parent, guardian or other licensed driver 25 years of age or older or a licensed or certified driving instructor when you:

Transport passengers under 20 years of age at any time for the first 12 months.
Drive between 11pm and 5 am for the first twelve months

Exceptions to Restrictions – When reasonable transportation is not available and it is necessary for you to drive, the grants the following exceptions for minors to drive between 11 pm and 5 am or to transport an immediate family member unaccompanied and unsupervised.

The law requires that you must carry a note explaining why you must drive and when the necessity will end. Only following reasons are acceptable:

Medical Necessity – The note must be signed by your physician and contain a diagnosis and probable date when recovery will end your need to drive.
School or School-Authorized Activities – The note must be signed by your school principal, dean, or their designee and include a reason for the activity and the date when the activity will end.
Employment Necessity – The note must be signed by your employer and verify employment and the date your employment will end.
Immediate Need of Family Member – The note must be signed by your parent or legal guardian and include the reason and date the necessity will end.
Emancipated Minor – No documentation is needed, however you must have already declared yourself emancipated by completing a DMV form and by providing Proof of Financial Responsibility (SR 1P) in lieu of your guarantors’ signatures when you applied for an instructional permit.

Links

VEHICLE CODE LAWS

TEXTING LAWS

23123.5 VC – This law prohibits a person from driving a motor vehicle while holding and operating a handheld wireless telephone or wireless electronic communications device, unless both of the following conditions are satisfied:

The device is mounted on a vehicle’s windshield in the same manner as a portable GPS unit or mounted/affixed to the dashboard or center console in a manner that does not hinder the driver’s view of the road and
The driver uses his/her hand to activate or deactivate a feature or function of the device with the motion of a single swipe or tap of the driver’s finger.

WIRELESS TELEPHONE LAWS

23123 VC - This law prohibits all drivers from using a handheld wireless telephone while operating a motor vehicle.

23124 VC - This law prohibits drivers under the age of 18 from using a wireless telephone or a hands-free device while operating a motor vehicle.

HELMET LAWS

21212(a) VC – This law requires all persons under 18 years of age to wear a helmet while riding a bicycle, a non-motorized scooter, a skateboard, or while wearing inline skates or roller skates. Passengers under 18 years old must also wear helmets.

MOTORIZED SCOOTER LAWS

21235 VC – This law requires the motorized scooter operator to be at least 16 years old (no license required) and to wear a helmet. Driving over 15 mph is prohibited, as is driving on the sidewalk and roadways with a speed limit over 25 mph.

Effective July 1, 2008 - Wireless Telephone Laws

Wireless Telephone Laws FAQ (PDF)

LINKS

If you have questions about the vehicle code laws and their interpretations, please feel free to call the traffic division at the Glendora Police Department (626) 914-8250. Also, let us know if you have any questions about how traffic laws apply to streets in Glendora by e-mailing the Traffic Division.

WHAT TO DO WHEN INVOLVED IN A TRAFFIC COLLISION

When involved in a collision involving property damage only

Move your vehicle to the side of the roadway or a safe place if possible (only if there are no injuries).
Exchange information with all parties involved. Each driver must show their driver’s license, current insurance information, and current vehicle registration. Most insurance companies need the parties’ driver’s license numbers, license plate numbers, and insurance company names and policy numbers. The law requires you provide this information to the other party.
If the other party is not present at the scene of the collision (example: hitting a parked car, block wall, fire hydrant), attempt to find the property owner. The Police Department can assist with this. If you can not locate the property owner, leave a written note containing your driver’s license, insurance, and vehicle information as well as a statement regarding what occurred
Contact your insurance company or the police if the damage appears to be over $750.
Report the collision to the DMV within 10 days if the damage is more than $750.

If you leave the scene prior to exchanging the information required, you can be convicted of a “hit and run,” which is a misdemeanor or a felony.

When involved in a traffic collision resulting in an injury or death

Stop the vehicle at the scene.
Render aid to any person injured in the collision (including transporting to a physician or hospital or calling 911 for medical aid).
Contact the police immediately.
Exchange information with all parties involved. This includes driver’s license, current insurance information, and current vehicle registration. This is required by law.
Report the collision to your insurance. You have 24 hours to report the collision if anyone is killed or injured.
Report the collision to the DMV within 10 days. Insurance companies usually report it to the DMV if you contact the insurance company.

LINKS

(DMV reporting form) https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv-virtual-office/accident-reporting/accident-reporting-form/