(a) The suspension of the driving privilege of a person as provided in Section 16070 shall not be terminated until one year has elapsed from the date of actual commencement of the suspension and until the person files proof of financial responsibility as provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 16430), except that the suspension shall be reinstated if the person fails to maintain proof of financial responsibility for three years. However, in lieu of suspending a person’s driving privilege pursuant to this section, the department, upon application, if the person files and thereafter maintains proof of financial responsibility as provided in this section and pays a penalty fee to the department of two hundred fifty dollars ($250), may restrict the person’s driving privilege to any of the following situations:
(1) Necessary travel to and from that person’s place of employment.
(2) Driving that is required in the person’s course of employment, when driving a motor vehicle is necessary in order to perform the duties of the person’s primary employment.
(3) Necessary travel to transport a minor dependent in that person’s immediate family to and from an institute of primary or secondary instruction, if the chief administrative officer or principal of the educational institution certifies in writing to the department that the minor dependent is enrolled in the educational institution and no form of public transportation or schoolbus is available between the applicant’s place of residence and the educational institution.
The restriction shall remain in effect for the period of suspension required by this section, so long as proof of financial responsibility is maintained.
(b) If a suspension has been imposed under Section 16070 and one year has elapsed from the date the suspension actually commenced, that suspension shall be terminated if the driving privilege is suspended under Section 16370 or 16381 as the result of a judgment arising out of the accident for which proof of financial responsibility was required to be established. The department may reimpose the suspension of the driving privilege of a person under Section 16070 if the suspension under Section 16370 or 16381 is later set aside for a reason other than that the person has satisfied the judgment in full or to the extent provided in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 16250) and has given proof of ability to respond in damages as provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 16430).
(c) Notwithstanding Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 42200) of Division 18, all revenues derived from the penalty fees provided in subdivision (a) shall, after deduction by the department of the costs incurred by the department in administering this section, be deposited in the Financial Responsibility Penalty Account in the General Fund. The balance in this fund on each July 1, which is not subject to appropriation as provided in Section 12980 of the Insurance Code, shall revert to the General Fund.
(d) (1) Subdivision (a) does not apply to a commercial driver’s license holder.
(2) A commercial driver’s license holder whose driving privilege is otherwise suspended under this chapter is not entitled to a restricted license, unless that person surrenders his or her commercial driver’s license and is issued a noncommercial class C or M driver’s license.
(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 574, Sec. 16. Effective January 1, 2007.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018