Car accidents result primarily from risky driving behaviors. However, a small percentage of them happen when a vehicle breaks down. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), malfunctioning brakes, wheels, tires, and steering are common causes of equipment-related crashes.
Safety inspections could catch some unsafe vehicles before a crash in San Diego, California. However, California car inspection laws are limited to salvage vehicles. As a result, inspections have a minimal impact on crashes arising from vehicle faults. After a collision, a San Diego car accident lawyer from Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight for compensation. Contact us today at (858) 551-2090 for a free consultation.
How Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Car Accident in San Diego, CA
Since its founding over 30 years ago, Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers has represented accident victims in San Diego, CA, against those liable for their injuries. Our attorneys have over 80 years of combined legal experience and have recovered over $100 million for the firm’s injured clients.
We provide the following legal assistance to people seeking compensation for their injuries:
- Evaluate their cases and tailor a legal strategy to their unique circumstances
- Gather evidence and file insurance claims
- Negotiate with insurers to resolve claims without litigation
- Prepare and file lawsuits when insurers refuse to settle
A car accident can severely impact your health and finances, regardless of the cause. Contact Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation. A San Diego personal injury attorney from our firm will discuss how we can help you recover injury compensation under California law.
Does California Require Regular Vehicle Inspections?
The California legislature caused a great deal of confusion in 2021 when it passed Assembly Bill 471. This law eliminated the old brake and light inspection and created a new vehicle safety systems inspection process. However, this law did not specify which vehicles were subject to its requirements. As a result, a great deal of incorrect information was spread online.
The state does not require regular vehicle safety inspections for most vehicles under the new law. Instead, it has an office that trains and regulates garages conducting vehicle safety inspections. However, the only vehicles subject to the current requirements are salvage vehicles declared totaled by insurance companies after crashes and subsequently rebuilt for use.
You do not currently need an inspection certificate in California to do the following:
- Register or renew a vehicle registration
- Retitle a vehicle
- Sell or buy a vehicle
- Bring an out-of-state vehicle into the state
The law is very vague, and the inspection stations could easily switch to a universal inspection system. However, registration and title applications currently do not require a safety inspection certificate for any vehicles except salvage vehicles.
How California Peace Officers Handle Unsafe Vehicles
The lack of an inspection system does not mean malfunctioning vehicles have free reign over California’s roads. California law prohibits drivers from operating vehicles in an unsafe condition or with equipment that violates state laws. It also gives police officers the authority to stop those who engage in such behavior.
Specifically, officers will look for vehicles that:
- Are visibly malfunctioning, such as spewing smoke
- Lack the required equipment, such as headlights
- Have prohibited equipment, such as reflective tint
The officer will issue a citation for the equipment violation. When doing so, they have the discretion to allow you to fix the violation to avoid a fine. You can resolve this ticket, called a fix-it ticket, by repairing the issue, getting a police officer to verify the repair, and paying a fee to the court.
Liability for Car Accidents Resulting From Equipment Failures
You have several options for seeking injury compensation when an equipment violation leads to a collision.
Specifically, you may have legal claims against one or more of the following parties:
Other Driver
At-fault drivers will occasionally try to blame accidents on their vehicles. For example, someone might try to blame a head-on crash on a defective steering system. This defense might prove that the driver was not at fault for the wreck if the driver had no knowledge or reason to believe the steering was malfunctioning.
However, if the other driver was aware that their vehicle was malfunctioning, they may be liable for injuries caused by the crash. Thus, suppose that the driver in the above example knew the steering was wobbly and had lost power steering on a few occasions but had failed to get it repaired. Their actions might constitute negligence.
Repair Shop
Auto garages have a legal duty to perform reasonably competent repairs. If a mechanic makes an unreasonable error while repairing a vehicle, their employer may be liable for a resulting accident.
Vehicle Or Part Manufacturer
Under product liability laws, manufacturers are strictly liable for injuries caused by defective products. For example, if a manufacturer releases defective tires to the public, it will be at fault for any accidents caused by tire blowouts.
Contact Our San Diego Car Accident Attorneys for a Free Consultation
You may have legal claims against the driver or other parties when an equipment failure causes a car accident. Contact Pines Salomon Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with one of our San Diego car inspection attorneys. We can discuss your injuries and the legal strategies we can use to pursue compensation for them.
Our legal team handles all types of car accidents, including:
- Airbag Injuries
- Car Color Crash Risk
- Distracted Driving Accidents
- Drunk Driving Accidents
- Hit and Run Accidents
- and more.
