BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 2477|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 2477
Author: Garrick (R), et al.
Amended: 6/28/12 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMM. : 9-0, 6/26/12
AYES: DeSaulnier, Gaines, Harman, Kehoe, Lowenthal,
Pavley, Rubio, Simitian, Wyland
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 70-0, 5/25/12 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Video event recorders
SOURCE : Drivecam
Smart Drive
DIGEST : This bill authorizes the placement of video
event recorders on the windshields of commercial vehicles.
ANALYSIS : Existing law prohibits a person from driving
any motor vehicle with any object or material placed,
displayed, installed, affixed, or applied upon the
windshield or the side windows adjacent to the driver.
Existing law makes exceptions for the following:
1.Rearview mirrors;
2.Sunvisors that are not mounted on the windshield glass;
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3.Electronic toll communication devices (e.g., FasTrak
transponders) or video event recorders affixed to the
center uppermost portion of the interior of the
windshield within an area that is not greater than five
inches square;
4.Transparent material applied to the top most portion of
the windshield (i.e., tinting);
5.Stickers (e.g., parking decals), global positioning
systems (GPS), and video event recorders that are placed
or mounted on the windshield in the seven-inch square in
the lower corner farthest removed from the driver or in
the five-inch square in the lower corner nearest the
driver but outside of the airbag deployment zone.
Existing law defines "video event recorders" that can be
placed in small spaces in the two lower windshield corners
or at the center top of the windshield as a video recorder
that continuously records video, audio, and G-force levels
but saves a recording only when triggered by an unusual
motion or crash or when operated by the driver. Existing
law restricts video event recorders to storing no more than
30 seconds of footage before and after an event, permits
the registered owner to disable a video event recorder, and
requires posted visible notice in the vehicle that it is
equipped with a video event recorder.
This bill:
1.Authorizes the placement of a video event recorder on a
commercial vehicle's windshield in an area no more than
2-inches below the upper edge of the area swept by the
windshield wipers and outside the driver's line of sight
to the road and highway signs and signals. (For example,
it could be placed directly below the rearview mirror
provided it was not more than two inches below the top
edge of the area the wipers sweep.)
2.Provides that the authorization becomes inoperative when
the California Highway Patrol (CHP) declares that an
existing federal exemption for these recorders has
expired or when the CHP declares that a subsequent
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renewal of the federal exemption has expired, whichever
is later.
3.Declares the Legislature's intent to adopt a policy
equivalent to the federal exemption for the placement of
video event recorders in commercial motor vehicles.
Comments
The author introduced this bill at the request of two
makers of video event recorders, DriveCam and SmartDrive,
who have sought and received an exemption from federal
regulations to allow the placement of their recorders on
the windshields of commercial vehicles. Because the
federal regulations govern only interstate commercial
vehicles and not those that operate solely in California,
this bill is needed to conform rules for California
intrastate commercial vehicles with those federal
regulations.
The author asserts that video event recorders in commercial
vehicles promote safer, more fuel efficient driving and
reduce accidents. The author believes that the federal
exemption provides optimal placement of video event
recorders over state requirements that specify video event
recorders must be placed in the lower right- or left-hand
corner of the windshield or in the upper center of the
windshield (generally above the rearview mirror).
The author and sponsors suggest that placing video event
recorders in the area allowed by state law compromises the
ability of the camera to record suitable images both inside
and outside of the vehicle because of the severe angles
that must be used to capture images and because of
potential obstructions presented when cameras are aimed
across the dashboard, passengers, or the rearview mirror.
Supporters agree that placing a camera in the same area of
the windshield as federal exemption allows provides better,
unobstructed views to be captured both inside and outside
of the vehicle.
A 2010 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration study of
two commercial carrier fleets showed that when those
carriers used video event recorders in this location they
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experienced a tremendous reduction in safety-related
events. One carrier reduced safety-related events by more
than 52% and the other by more than 38% when measured per
10,000 miles driven. This bill allows video recorders in
intrastate commercial vehicles in California as they are
allowed under federal regulations, provided those
regulations remain in place.
Prior Legislation
AB 1942 (Fletcher), Chapter 458, Statutes of 2010,
authorized the placement of video event recorders on
specified areas of vehicle windshields subject to certain
restrictions. This bill expands the area of placement for
video event recorders when they are on the windshield of a
commercial vehicle but maintains the restrictions on their
recordings.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/6/12)
Drivecam (co-source)
Smart Drive (co-source)
Ampco System Parking
Access Services
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Loomis
Sysco Corporation
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 70-0, 5/25/12
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Beall, Block,
Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan,
Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, Carter, Cedillo,
Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Davis, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eng,
Feuer, Fong, Furutani, Beth Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick,
Gatto, Gordon, Gorell, Hagman, Halderman, Harkey,
Hayashi, Roger Hern�ndez, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman,
Jeffries, Jones, Lara, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Mansoor,
Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell, Monning, Morrell, Nestande,
Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Pan, V. Manuel P�rez, Portantino,
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Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao,
Wagner, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A. P�rez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Atkins, Bill Berryhill, Fletcher,
Fuentes, Grove, Hall, Knight, Ma, Perea, Silva
JJA:n 8/7/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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