(a) Every motor vehicle shall be equipped with service brakes on all wheels in contact with the roadway, except as follows:

(1) Trucks and truck tractors manufactured before July 25, 1980, having three or more axles need not have brakes on the front wheels, except when such vehicles are equipped with at least two steerable axles, the wheels of one such axle need not be equipped with brakes.

Terms Used In California Vehicle Code 26311

  • axle: is a structure or portion of a structure consisting of one or more shafts, spindles, or bearings in the same vertical transverse plane by means of which, in conjunction with wheels mounted on said shafts, spindles, or bearings, a portion of the weight of a vehicle and its load, if any, is continuously transmitted to the roadway when the vehicle is in motion. See California Vehicle Code 230
  • bus: is a ny vehicle, including a trailer bus, designed, used, or maintained for carrying more than 15 persons including the driver. See California Vehicle Code 233
  • driveaway-towaway operation: is a ny operation in which any motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles coupled together constitutes the commodity being transported, when one or more sets of wheels of any such motor vehicle or motor vehicles are on the roadway, and when one or more of such vehicles are being operated under a manufacturer's, dealer's, or transporter's special plates. See California Vehicle Code 303
  • motor vehicle: includes a recreational vehicle as that term is defined in subdivision (a) of §. See California Vehicle Code 415
  • motorcycle: is a motor vehicle having a seat or saddle for the use of the rider, designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground. See California Vehicle Code 400
  • Road: means any existing vehicle route established before January 1, 1979, with significant evidence of prior regular travel by vehicles subject to registration pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 4000) of Chapter 1 of Division 3. See California Vehicle Code 527
  • truck tractor: is a motor vehicle designed and used primarily for drawing other vehicles and not so constructed as to carry a load, other than a part of the weight of the vehicle and the load so drawn. See California Vehicle Code 655
  • vehicle: is a device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or drawn upon a highway, excepting a device moved exclusively by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. See California Vehicle Code 670

(2) The final towed vehicle in a triple saddle-mount driveaway-towaway operation.

(3) Any vehicle manufactured prior to 1930.

(4) Any two-axle truck tractor manufactured prior to 1964.

(5) Any sidecar attached to a motorcycle.

(6) Any motorcycle manufactured prior to 1966. Such motorcycle shall be equipped with brakes on at least one wheel.

(b) Any bus, truck, or truck tractor may be equipped with a manual or automatic means for reducing the braking effort on the front wheels. The manual means shall be used only when operating under adverse road conditions, such as wet, snowy, or icy roads.

(c) Vehicles and combinations of vehicles exempted in subdivisions (a) and (b) from the requirements of brakes on all wheels shall comply with the stopping distance requirements of Section 26454.

(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 451, Sec. 53. (SB 491) Effective January 1, 2016.)

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