Article 5. Signal Lamps And Devices of California Vehicle Code >> Division 12. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 5.
Whenever any motor vehicle is towing a trailer coach or a
camp trailer the combination of vehicles shall be equipped with a
lamp-type turn signal system.
(a) Any vehicle may be equipped with a lamp-type turn signal
system capable of clearly indicating any intention to turn either to
the right or to the left.
(b) The following vehicles shall be equipped with a lamp-type turn
signal system meeting the requirements of this chapter.
(1) Motortrucks, truck tractors, buses and passenger vehicles,
other than motorcycles, manufactured and first registered on or after
January 1, 1958.
(2) Trailers and semitrailers manufactured and first registered
between December 31, 1957, and January 1, 1969, having a gross weight
of 6,000 pounds or more.
(3) Trailers and semitrailers 80 or more inches in width
manufactured on or after January 1, 1969.
(4) Motorcycles manufactured and first registered on or after
January 1, 1973, except motor-driven cycles whose speed attainable in
one mile is 30 miles per hour or less.
The requirements of this subdivision shall not apply to special
mobile equipment, or auxiliary dollies.
(c) Turn signal lamps on vehicles manufactured on or after January
1, 1969, shall be mounted not lower than 15 inches.
A lamp-type turn signal shall be plainly visible and
understandable in normal sunlight and at nighttime from a distance of
at least 300 feet to the front and rear of the vehicle, except that
turn signal lamps on vehicles of a size required to be equipped with
clearance lamps shall be visible from a distance of 500 feet during
such times.
(a) Any turn signal system used to give a signal of
intention to turn right or left shall project a flashing white or
amber light visible to the front and a flashing red or amber light
visible to the rear.
(b) Side-mounted turn signal lamps projecting a flashing amber
light to either side may be used to supplement the front and rear
turn signals. Side-mounted turn signal lamps mounted to the rear of
the center of the vehicle may project a flashing red light no part of
which shall be visible from the front.
(c) In addition to any required turn signal lamps, any vehicle may
be equipped with supplemental rear turn signal lamps mounted to the
rear of the rearmost portion of the driver's seat in its rearmost
position.
(d) In addition to any required or authorized turn signal lamps,
any vehicle may be equipped with supplemental rear turn signal lamps
that are mounted on, or are an integral portion of, the outside
rearview mirrors, so long as the lamps flash simultaneously with the
rear turn signal lamps, the light emitted from the lamps is projected
only to the rear of the vehicle and is not visible to the driver
under normal operating conditions, except for a visual indicator
designed to allow monitoring of lamp operation, and the lamps do not
project a glaring light.