The Dangers of Distracted Driving in California
Everyone always talks about how horrible drunk driving is but far less is mentioned about the dangers and repercussions of distracted driving, which is as dangerous and even more common than drunk driving.
Distracted driving in California isn’t a new thing. For as long as people have been getting behind the wheel of automobiles, there have been distracted drivers.
Examples of distracted driving include:
- Daydreaming
- Arguing with passengers
- Rubbernecking
- Trying to pick up a candy bar you’ve dropped
- Changing radio stations
- Using your cell phone
Distracted driving can result in a number of things going wrong. A single second of distracted driving can result in:
- Weaving in and out of your lane
- Striking another car/pedestrian
- Missing a road sign
- Running a red light
Over the past twenty years or so, distracted driving has become a much bigger problem. Data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association indicates that distracted driving results in approximately 1,000 injuries every single day and approximately 9 deaths a day. Many of these distracted driving accidents involved a cell phone.
In California, when someone is pulled over for distracted driving and issued a citation, the ticket usually doesn’t say distracted driving, even though that’s usually the cause of the incident. The ticket usually states the effect. For example, if you were playing with your dog who was in the shotgun seat and run a red light, the ticket will likely state reckless driving or failure to yield rather than distracted driving.
If your distracted driving results in an injury or death to another person, the citation may be the least of your worries. When someone is hurt or killed as a result of a distracted driving episode, you could find yourself acting as the defendant in a civil case.
In an effort to lower the number of distracted driving incidents in California, the state has introduced the Just Drive campaign. The idea of the Just Drive campaign is to educate/remind drivers about the dangers of using a cell phone while you’re behind the wheel. Everybody involved in the campaign hopes that the program will remind drivers about how deadly answering a single text or taking a long call can be.
California’s “Just Drive” campaign is quite similar to earlier efforts to reduce the number of drivers who use their cell phones while they’re behind the wheel, but this campaign is geared specifically towards younger drivers who are between the ages of 16 and 24.
In California, you’re not allowed to have your cell phone in your hand while you’re driving. While everyone would prefer it if you simply didn’t use your cell phone at all during your commute, you are allowed to use it provided it’s set to hands-free mode, mounted on your dash or windshield, and can be turned on and off by a single finger touch.
The best way to avoid being the cause of a distracted driving incident is to keep your eyes and mind on the road.
Strange Laws from California
When people think about laws, they often think about sensible rules that make sense. However, it is important to remember that laws are made by people, and this means that some real nonsense can be made into actual laws that govern the people. This is true of every country, state, and city. California is no exception.
The Golden State is home to its own bits of weirdness thanks to some odd laws. Many of these laws were created long ago, and as such, show their age. Others are a little more recent, and while it may be possible to see what the lawmaker was going for, the wording of the law isn’t quite right.
Why Are These Even Laws?
California became a state on September 9, 1850. Over the last 170 year period, a lot of laws have been enacted and removed across the state’s 160,000 square miles. Some of the laws have made sense, such as don’t steal from people and don’t kill each other. Others are a bit stranger. Some of the weirder laws that are still technically active in California include:
- A person can only wear cowboy boots in Blythe if they own two or more cows.
- A person cannot wash someone else’s car without the owner’s permission in Los Angeles.
- Cursing on a golf course in Long Beach is illegal.
- Detonating a nuclear device in Chico will result in a $500 fine.
- Flying a kite higher than 10 feet is illegal in the city of Walnut.
- Garages in San Francisco are meant for storing personal vehicles and nothing else.
- In California, it is illegal for women to drive cars while wearing housecoats.
- In San Francisco, ugly people are not allowed to walk down the street.
- It is illegal to drive in reverse in Glendale.
- It is illegal to pour salt on Hermosa Beach streets.
- Men and boys are not allowed to dress as women in Walnut unless it is for a play, or they receive a permit from the sheriff.
- Peacocks always have the right of way in Arcadia.
- San Diego homeowners can be fined $250 for having their Christmas lights up after February 2nd.
- Vehicles without drivers cannot drive over 60 mph.
- Visitors of Fresno city parks are prohibited from bothering lizards.
- Women may not wear high heels in Carmel city limits.
What Are the Penalties?
With how easily broken some of these laws can be, some people may wonder what would happen to them if they did break any of these laws. Luckily, the enforceable laws are pretty unknown by most law enforcement agents. Even if they do know about these laws, no one in their right mind would fault someone for breaking these laws.
The only law on the above list that will result in penalties, and rightfully so, is detonating a nuclear device within Chico city limits. However, the consequences for doing so will probably be more than just a $500 fine. The person will have to pay $501, at least.
These Laws Are Still in the Books
What seems to happen with a lot of these odd laws, is that they just get laughed at and forgotten. No one in this day and age is going to fine someone for wearing cowboy boots when they don’t own a cow, or arrest a woman for wearing high heels. Most of these laws are so outlandish that a person has nothing to worry about. These laws serve only as jokes at this point.
If You Need Bail Help, You’ve Come to the Right Place
Were you recently surprised by the arrest of a close friend or family member? Are you trying to rescue him or her from jail? If so, you’ve come to the right place. For over 30 years, Absolute Bail Bonds has helped thousands of Californians bail their friends and family members out of jail. Let us help you too.
Here at Absolute Bail Bonds, we know how intimidating and confusing the bail process can be for the first time. This is why our bail agents do everything that they can to help guide you through this. Whenever you need help, whether it is one in the afternoon or four in the morning, you can count on our bail agents to be there for you.
Once you start talking with one of our bail agents, they begin working with you. Just tell our agents your loved one’s name, birthday, and county of arrest. With that information in hand, our bail agents will be able to locate your loved one in the county jail system and begin filling out the paperwork for the bail bond.
Our bail bonds only cost 10% of the bail they are for, and we provide each of our clients with personalized payment plans. These payments plans further reduce the upfront cost of the bail bond, and come with 0% interest. This means that you only have to pay for the bail bond itself, and don’t have to worry about paying extra just to make the bond more affordable.
Some of the other benefits that we provide include:
- 24/7 Bail bond service
- 20% Discount
- Phone approvals
- No hidden fees
- No collateral with working signer
- Se habla Español
If you were recently caught off guard by the arrest of a loved one, don’t panic, Absolute Bail Bonds is here to help. We have been helping Californians face bail since 1987 and we can help you to. You will always have a bail agent to talk to and answer your questions. On top of that, you will be provided with a bail bond and payment plan that you can afford.
There is no reason to wait any longer. Call 1-800-793-2245 or click Chat With Us now!
How Long Does Release Take?
When you learn of a loved one’s arrest, you want to get them out of jail as quickly as you can. You never want someone that you care about to suffer, which is what is happening when they have been arrested and sent to jail. That is why you spring into action to rescue your loved one from jail.
When it comes to getting people released from jail quickly, you can count on Absolute Bail Bonds. We are bail experts and are dedicated to helping our clients get their loved ones out of jail quickly. We won’t stop working for you until your loved one is back home, safe and sound.
How long the release process takes is dependent on a few different factors. The first factor being how ready the client is to post bail. Do they have all of the paperwork and funds ready to go when they call? The more prepared the client is, the faster it is to get someone out of jail.
The next factor, is where was the person arrested? Different jails operate at different speeds. Larger jails tend to take longer to release an inmate than a smaller one would. This is due to the fact that the larger jails have more inmates to handle and more paperwork to process on any given day. That is why we recommend posting bail before your loved one is transferred to a larger jail where it will take longer to get him or her out.
With Absolute Bail Bonds helping, you loved one can be out of jail in just a few short hours. In some counties, we can have someone out of jail in just 2 hours. In others, a release can take up to a day to be processed. No matter where your loved one is being held, you can count on Absolute Bail Bonds to help you get your loved one out of jail as quickly as possible.
Some of the other services we provide include:
- 24/7 Bail bond service
- 20% Discount
- Phone approvals
- 0% Interest payment plans
- No hidden fees
- No collateral with working signer
- Se habla Español
We are here for you, just call 1-800-793-2245 or click Chat With Us now.
Commonly Broken California Laws
When it comes to breaking the law, there are all sorts of things that a person can to. There are literally thousands of different ways to break laws in California.
Some of the most commonly broken laws in the state include:
- Assault: This occurs when a person hurts another individual. This can be done with a fists or a weapon. Depending on how the person attacked the other individual, and how badly the person was injured, the crime can be either a misdemeanor or a felony. The bail amount for this crime varies depending on how it was charged and often starts around $25,000.
- DUI: Driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol is an illegal act and yet thousands of people do it every single day. A first time offense can get a person a bail of around $5,000. Subsequent offense will earn higher bail amounts, up to $100,000 in worst case scenarios.
- Possession of drugs: Possessing illegal drugs, items related to those drugs, or even prescription drugs without a prescription is illegal in California. Bail for drug possession charges can range anywhere from $20,000 to over $100,000.
- Possession of weapons: Certain weapons are illegal in California, and some people are flat out prohibited from possessing any weapons. If a person is caught doing either one of those things, they will face this charge. Depending on the facts of the case, a person can face a bail amount ranging from $20,000 to $60,000.
- Restraining order violation: When a restraining order is issued by a court, that person has to stay away from the person in question. Failing to do so can get a person into trouble. The average bail amount for a restraining order violation starts around $15,000.
- Theft/burglary: Theft occurs when a person takes an item from someone else. Burglary occurs when a person breaks into a place and steals something. If less than $950 is stolen, than the crime is considered a misdemeanor. If more than that is stolen, than it is a felony. Bail amounts for these crimes can range anywhere from $20,000 to over $50,000.
Bail amounts vary from crime to crime and grow more expensive the more severe the crime is. Still, even the low ends of these bail amounts are too expensive for the average individual to afford on their own. This is why Absolute Bail Bonds is here to help. Contact one of our bail agents and they will provide you with an affordable bail bond that costs 10% of the full bail amount.
What are you waiting for? You can get started today by calling 1-800-793-2245 or click Chat With Us now.
How to Release Someone from Jail
When you learn of a loved one’s arrest, the first thing you want to do is figure out how to get him or her released from jail. However, looking up jail release information for the first time can be confusing. After all, most people don’t deal with jails and bail on a daily basis.
When looking to get someone out of jail, you want to post bail. Bail is a certain amount of money that the court requires to be paid in order for them to release your loved one from jail. While this sounds simple enough, bail in California typically costs several thousands of dollars. To make matters worse, the whole bail amount has to be paid in full before the jail will release your loved one.
This is where Absolute Bail Bonds comes in to help you out. We will pay the bail amount for you, and only ask for a percentage of the bail be paid for our services. For instance, if your loved one’s bail is set at $20,000, we will pay that and ask for only $2,000 for doing so. That’s only 10% of the full bail price, meaning you save 90%!
To make things even better, unlike the court, we allow our clients to pay for the bail bond with a payment plan. This gives you the time you need to collect the money for the bail, while still getting your loved one released from jail today. We only need a down payment before we talk to the jail about releasing your loved one.
Some of the other services we provide for our clients include:
- 24/7 Bail bond service
- 20% Discount
- Phone approvals
- 0% Interest payment plans
- No hidden fees
- No collateral with working signer
- Se habla Español
We know the act of getting your loved one released from jail for the first time can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. With Absolute Bail Bonds helping you, rescuing your loved one will be a piece of cake. We will guide you through the whole process and make it affordable for you.
If you want to know more about getting a jail to release someone, call 1-800-793-2245 or click Chat With Us now.
What If You Miss a Payment?
While payment plans are nice for reducing the upfront cost of something and spreading it out over a long stretch of time, they can also be a bit stressful. Even when the payments are a manageable size, there is always that worry that you might miss a payment somehow. Maybe you’ll simply forget the day a payment is due, or something else will come up and require the money you set aside.
Basically, life happens and can take a simple payment plan and make it difficult. Luckily for you, here at Absolute Bail Bonds we are aware of this fact. We know that sometimes life changes things, and that sometimes payments will be missed. A missed payment doesn’t have to be the end of the world.
When a client knows in advanced that they are going to miss a payment, they should always let us know. As long as it doesn’t become a regular occurrence, we are more than happy to work with our clients. In some cases, we can even rework the payment plan to better fit into the client’s new monthly budget.
If a payment is unexpectedly missed, contact us right away. If you do not talk to us, we will begin looking for your loved one to bring them back into custody. Nobody wants that to happen, not even us. That is why it is very important to talk to your bail agent the minute you realize you missed a payment.
At Absolute Bail Bonds, we are all about making the bail bond process easier for our clients. A part of that means making the payment plans as easy to work with as possible. We know that life can get messy at times, and making a payment may be a little more difficult one month than it usually is. If that happens, talk to one of our agents. We will be more than happy to help you.
Some of the other services that we provide include:
- 24/7 Bail bond service
- 20% Discount
- Phone approvals
- 0% Interest payment plans
- No hidden fees
- No collateral with working signer
- Se habla Español
Need to talk to a bail agent? You can do so for free at any time by calling 1-800-793-2245 or clicking Chat With Us now.
What Is Bail?
If you’ve ever watched a crime drama before, you’ve probably heard of bail. However, even if you’ve heard of bail before, you might not have a complete understanding of what it is. After all, TV doesn’t sit there and explain it, and the only time people deal with bail in real life is when someone they know has been arrested. If you just learned of a loved one’s arrest and are looking for some more information on bail, look no further.
Absolute Bail Bonds has helped Californians deal with bail for over 3 decades. You can count on us to know everything about bail. For starters, bail is an amount of money that can be paid to a court or jail to secure a person’s release from jail during their trial period. The amount of money needed for the bail is determined by the case judge.
When a person posts bail themselves, they can get the money for the bail back, minus court fees, so long as the person shows up for all of their court dates. This sounds great, but there is a down side. In California, most bails cost several thousands of dollars and have to be paid all at once, putting it well out of reach of the average individual.
This is where companies like Absolute Bail Bonds come into help. Our bail bonds only cost 10% of the bail they are for, which is a 90% discount. Basically, if someone’s bail is set at $20,000, their bail bond with us will only cost $2,000. That is much more manageable for most people.
Some of the other services that we provide include:
- 24/7 Bail bond service
- 20% Discount
- Phone approvals
- 0% Interest payment plans
- No hidden fees
- No collateral with working signer
- Se habla Español
Bail may be something new for a lot of people, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. You can count on the professionals here at Absolute Bail Bonds to always be there for you. Our expert bail agents can answer all of your questions about bail.
Consultations are free, so call 1-800-793-2245 or click Chat With Us now.
Do You Need a Warrant Check in California?
Bailing someone out of jail is no fun, but here at Absolute Bail Bonds we do everything that we can to help you. We will always help you get your loved ones out of jail, but that is not all that we do here. We also provide warrant checks for clients who need them. This way, if someone thinks there might be a warrant out for their arrest, they can find out for sure.
When a warrant is issued for a person’s arrest, no one notifies the person in question. If the police could find the person, then they would arrest him or her. If a person suspects that there may be a warrant out for their arrest, they usually have to go to the police station to see. If they do have a warrant, then they are arrested then and there, which isn’t optimal.
No one wants to get arrested, but if someone were to get arrested, they’d probably prefer to prepare for it first. Absolute Bail Bonds lets you do that. When we perform a warrant check, if we find a warrant, we may be able to prepare a bail bond before the person turns themselves in, in some instances. This way, a person only stays in jail as long as it takes for them to be booked in, then they are bailed out.
While not all California counties allow us to perform warrant checks, the following do:
- Contra Costa
- Fresno
- Kern
- Riverside
- Sacramento
- San Bernardino
- Stanislaus
- Tulare
And sometimes:
- Kings
- San Joaquin
Even if we are unable to perform a warrant check for you, we can still get started on some of the bail paperwork. This can help expedite the bail process once a person is arrested, thereby shortening their stay behind bars.
When a person needs bail help, they should always contact Absolute Bail Bonds. When a person thinks there might be a warrant out for their arrest, they can contact Absolute Bail Bonds for help with that as well.
Do you need to talk to one of our agents? Consultations are free, so just call 1-800-793-2245 or click Chat With Us now.
Some Common Questions about Bail and Bail Bonds
When it comes to bailing someone out of jail, you probably have a lot of questions. That is perfectly normal. Most people have questions about bail. Luckily, we here at Absolute Bail Bonds we have all of the answers for you. We have worked with bail and bail bonds for over 30 years. You can count on us.
Here are some of the most common questions that we get about bail bonds:
- What is the difference between bail and a bail bond? Bail and bail bonds are two terms that often go together, so much so that some people assume they mean the same thing when they actually don’t. Bail is the amount of money that is needed to be paid in order for a person to be released from jail. A bail bond is an agreement between a bail agent and their client to cover the bail amount.
- How much does a bail bond cost? The cost of a bail bond is dependent on the price of the bail. Here in California, state law regulate the price of bail bonds to 10% the price of the bail itself. So, if someone’s bail is set at $20,000, then their bail bond will cost $2,000.
- Do you offer discounts? Yes, we offer a 20% discount of the price of the bail bond if one of the co-signers is a union member, a member of AARP, a member of the military, a homeowner, or has a private attorney.
- Do I get my money back at the end? No, this is a common misunderstanding due to the confusion between bail and bail bonds. If someone pays for a bail, then they would get their money back. However, when a person pays for a bail bond they do not get their money back. This is because the payment for the bail bond is considered payment for the bail agent’s services, which are completed once the person is released from jail.
- What is a co-signer? A co-signer is someone who is willing to sign for the bail bond and take responsibility for it. There can be multiple co-signers for a bail bond.
- How long does it take for someone to be released from jail? Anywhere from a few hours to a day. That depends on the jail and whether or not you have all of your paperwork ready to go when you call. We always try to get the paperwork for the bail bond finished as quickly as possible to get it delivered to the jail as soon as possible. Even then, depending on the size of the jail, it may take them some time to process the release.
These are just a few of the questions that our bail agents answer on a regular basis here at Absolute Bail Bonds in Palmdale. If you still have questions about the subject, feel free to contact one of our bail agents. They are available 24/7 and consultations are always free. Our agents will be more than happy to help you.