Car accidents in Encino, CA, happen primarily because of driving decisions and actions. However, a small percentage occur because of road defects, weather conditions, or vehicle malfunctions. While some states require periodic vehicle safety inspections of all vehicles, there are no California or Encino car inspection laws.
As a result, nothing stops the owner of an unsafe vehicle from registering and using it. When the driver of an unsafe car causes a collision, they may still bear the liability for any resulting injuries. An Encino car accident lawyer from JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers analyzes your situation and determines the legal claims you can assert, contact us now or call us at 833-852-3600 .
How JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After An Accident In Encino, CA
The attorneys at JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers have over 100 years of combined legal experience fighting for people injured in Encino, California. The firm has successfully recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in life-changing compensation from at-fault parties and their insurers.
We provide the following services when you suffer an injury due to the negligent or wrongful actions of a business or individual:
- Assess your situation and counsel you about your legal options
- Gather evidence and file an insurance claim
- Negotiate for a fair resolution to your case without litigation
- File a lawsuit if we cannot settle your claim
You could suffer significant physical and financial losses due to a car accident. Contact JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with an Encino car accident attorney to learn how we can help you seek compensation for your losses.
State Vehicle Inspection Laws
Congress took an intense interest in automobile safety in the mid-1960s. It ultimately passed two sets of laws — the Motor Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act and the Highway Safety Act. Many of today’s safety standards arose from these laws, including universal motorcycle helmet laws, federal speed limits on interstate highways, and mandatory seat belts in all vehicles.
The law empowered the Secretary of Transportation to withhold highway funding from states that did not pass laws required by the acts. As a result, states passed a flurry of legislation to implement these safety standards, including mandatory vehicle safety inspections.
However, Congress eventually ended the Transportation Department’s authority to withhold funding, and states slowly repealed these laws. You might recall when California had a mandatory vehicle safety inspection law before repealing it. Today, only a small minority of states still have mandatory vehicle safety inspections.
California recently re-implemented vehicle safety inspections for revived salvage vehicles. These are vehicles that are written off as totaled by insurers after car accidents. They are sold to salvage companies that repair and sell them. These vehicles must undergo a safety inspection before registration because of the prior damage they suffered.
Spot-Checking Unsafe Vehicles
Although California no longer has a universal vehicle safety inspection law, it empowers police officers to stop drivers of unsafe vehicles. Specifically, California prohibits drivers from operating any vehicle that presents an immediate safety hazard by being:
- In an unsafe condition or
- Not safely loaded
Thus, the police can stop a vehicle that has any of the following problems:
- Lacks required equipment, such as functioning headlights
- Includes prohibited equipment, such as amber tint
- Carries or tows an improperly secured load
- Appears visibly unsafe (e.g., it is missing doors or emitting smoke)
Once the vehicle is stopped, the officer will inspect it to determine whether it is safe. The officer typically issues a fix-it ticket if the vehicle represents an immediate safety hazard. They can require the driver to have the vehicle towed or allow the driver to drive the vehicle to work, home, or a repair garage.
If the driver proves the vehicle has been repaired, a judge can dismiss the ticket.
Liability For Crashes Caused By Unsafe Vehicles
The California Highway Patrol releases statistical data about all crashes in the state. You can filter this data according to the violation committed by the at-fault driver. Using the code section prohibiting unsafe vehicle operation, you will find that California had 352 car accidents caused by unsafe vehicles in 2024.
The state had a total of 394,601 crashes that year. Thus, unsafe vehicles caused about 0.09% of California car crashes. When these rare collisions occur, accident victims may still have legal claims for injury compensation.
You might have a claim against the driver if they knew or should have known that their vehicle was unsafe. For example, suppose that the driver received a fix-it ticket for illegal tint but continued to drive it. If they cause a pedestrian accident because the tint obscured their view, they may be liable for the resulting injuries.
Contact Our Encino, CA, Accident Lawyers For A Free Consultation
Car accidents can cause significant losses regardless of the cause. Contact JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your car accident and the options you have for seeking compensation.
