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Traffic Tickets Take Self-Driving Ubers Off The Road

Traffic Tickets Take Self Driving Ubers Off The Road

It will take longer for the autonomous ridesharing vehicles to reach San Bernardino and Kings Counties, because state regulators stopped test runs after several self-driving Ubers apparently ran red lights.

A company spokesperson blamed human error for two red-light violations in San Francisco. Cab company executive Charles Rotter immediately jumped on the issue, declaring that the self-driving Ubers were “not ready for primetime” because “people could die.” Despite the incidents and the DMV’s insistence that the company take a step back, Uber insisted that it did not need a testing permit, since its cars have human standby drivers and so they are not technically self-driving.

Uber says it suspended the two drivers involved, it is investigating the incidents, and neither vehicle had a paying passenger.

Red Lights and Stop Signs

Under VC 21453, it is illegal to enter the intersection on red. The “intersection” typically begins at the stop line or at the beginning of the crosswalk, as opposed to the corner of the curb. So, to use a football term, if any part of the vehicle breaks the plane of the stop line, the driver has “ran” the red light. The only exception is the right-on red, and even then, the same rule about stopping behind the line still applies. Violation of VC 21453(a) and (c), the “straight-on” provisions, is $469 plus one point; a VC 21453(b) right turn violation is $229 plus a point.

Vehicles “stop” for VC 22450 purposes when the wheels completely stop turning, even if they only stop turning for a fraction of a second. Sometimes officers who pull over motorists for running stop signs are in a poor position to see the wheels. An infraction is typically $229 and a point.

Getting Legal Help


CHP officers will write up technical stop sign and traffic light infractions just as quickly as blatant violations. To fight your ticket, call Bigger & Harman.