California Traffic Safety Institute (CTSI) is a non-profit company, which has been providing staffing and other services to the California Superior Courts in the administration of the traffic violation school programs since June 27, 1985.
CTSI operates under the legislative authority of CVC 11205 as amended in September 1991.
Pursuant to AB2499, which was passed in the 2009-2010 legislative session, effective July 1, 2011, traffic violations where a defendant has elected or been ordered to attend a traffic violator school (TVS) will no longer be a dismissal on the driving record. They will now become a confidential conviction.
A confidential conviction will mask the violation from your public record. Insurance companies will not see the confidential conviction.
A traffic violator school conviction will not be masked if:
- There is a successful TVS completion within the previous 18 months.
- The conviction is a major (2 point) violation (DUI or Reckless Driving).
- The driver was operating a commercial vehicle at the time of the violation.
- A Class A or B licensee operating a non-commercial vehicle (0 points displayed).
Important Traffic School Attendance Information:
A court may refer a driver to traffic violator school at any time. However, California Vehicle Code Section 1808.7 mandates that only one conviction in an eighteen (18) month period be masked from public view on your driving record. The eighteen (18) month period is calculated from citation/violation date, not class attendance date. Courts are required to adjudicate all major (2 point) violations; courts are prohibited from sending drivers who commit major violations to traffic violator schools for the purpose of masking a conviction.
If you need an extension of time, please contact the court which imposed the sentence; CTSI has no authority to grant extensions. You may attend any traffic violator school with a valid license status listed on the DMV’s web-site. When you have completed the course, the school will issue you a receipt and the school will file the completion certificate electronically.
Benefits of Attending Traffic Violator School:
NOTICE: If you are eligible and decide not to attend traffic school your automobile insurance may be adversely affected. The citation will also go on your record and reflect the point count that goes along with the violation.
Effective January 1, 2017, a person shall not drive a motor vehicle while holding and operating a handheld cell phone or texting device. They can only be used if they allow for voice operated and hands-free operation. The devices may be operated only if both of the following conditions are met; 1) the device is mounted on the windshield in 5 inch square in the lower corner of the windshield nearest the driver or a 7 inch square farthest from the driver. Alternatively, the device may be mounted or affixed to the dashboard or center console as long as it does not hinder the driver’s view of the road. 2) The driver’s hand is used to activate or deactivate a feature of the device with a single swipe or tap of a finger.
CHILD RESTRAINT 27360 CVC
Effective January 1, 2017, a child under two years of age must be secured in a rear facing restraint that meets federal standards and be placed in the rear seat of the vehicle. A child under 2 who is at least 40 pounds or 40″ tall may face forward in the rear seat in the child restraint. As a reminder all children under 8 years of age must be in an appropriate child passenger restraint system in the rear seat unless they are 4′ 9″ tall or taller. A seat belt may be used for children who are 8 years of age or 4’9″ tall or taller instead of the restraint system.
