Cal. VEH § 13954 — California Code / Code veh / Division 6 / Chapter 3 / Article 2 / Section 13954
Section 13954
Status: in_force

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, the department immediately shall suspend or revoke the driving privilege of a person who the department has reasonable cause to believe was in some manner involved in a crash while operating a motor vehicle under the following circumstances at the time of the crash:

(1) The person had 0.08 percent or more, by weight, of alcohol in their blood.

(2) They proximately caused the crash as a result of an act prohibited, or the neglect of any duty imposed, by law.

(3) The crash occurred within five years of the date of a violation of subdivision (b) of Section 191.5 of the Penal Code that resulted in a conviction.

(b) If a crash described in subdivision (a) does not result in a conviction or finding of a violation of Section 23152 or 23153, the department shall suspend the driving privilege under this section for one year from the date of commencement of the original suspension. After the one-year suspension period, the driving privilege may be reinstated if evidence establishes to the satisfaction of the department that no grounds exist that would authorize the refusal to issue a license and that reinstatement of the driving privilege would not jeopardize the safety of the person or other persons upon the highways, and if the person gives proof of financial responsibility, as defined in Section 16430.

(c) If a crash described in subdivision (a) does result in a conviction or finding of a violation of Section 23152 or 23153, the department shall revoke the driving privilege under this section for three years from the date of commencement of the original revocation. After the three-year revocation period, the driving privilege may be reinstated if evidence establishes to the satisfaction of the department that no grounds exist that would authorize the refusal to issue a license and that reinstatement of the driving privilege would not jeopardize the safety of the person or other persons upon the highways, and if the person gives proof of financial responsibility.

(d) Any revocation action under subdivision (c) shall be imposed as follows:

(1) If the crash results in a first conviction of a violation of Section 23152 or 23153, or if the person was convicted of a separate violation of Section 23152 or 23153 that occurred within five years of the crash, the period of revocation under subdivision (c) shall be concurrent with any period of restriction, suspension, or revocation imposed under Section 13352, 13352.4, or 13352.5.

(2) If the person was convicted of two or more separate violations of Section 23152 or 23153, or both, that occurred within five years of the crash, the period of revocation under subdivision (c) shall be cumulative and shall be imposed consecutively with any period of restriction, suspension, or revocation imposed under Section 13352 or 13352.5.

(e) The department immediately shall notify the person in writing of the action taken and, upon the person’s request in writing and within 15 days from the date of receipt of that request, shall grant the person an opportunity for a hearing in the same manner and under the same conditions as provided in Article 3 (commencing with Section 14100) of Chapter 3, except as otherwise provided in this section. For purposes of this section, the scope of the hearing shall cover the following issues:

(1) Whether the peace officer had reasonable cause to believe the person had been driving a motor vehicle in violation of Section 23152 or 23153.

(2) Whether the person had been placed under lawful arrest.

(3) Whether a chemical test of the person’s blood, breath, or urine indicated that the blood-alcohol level was 0.08 percent or more, by weight, at the time of testing.

If the department determines, upon a hearing of the matter, that the person had not been placed under lawful arrest, or that a chemical test of the person’s blood, breath, or urine did not indicate a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent or more, by weight, at the time of testing, the suspension or revocation shall be terminated immediately.

(f) This section applies if the crash occurred on or after January 1, 1990, without regard for the dates of the violations referred to in subdivisions (a) and (d).

(g) Notwithstanding subdivision (f), if a person’s privilege to operate a motor vehicle is required to be suspended or revoked pursuant to this section as it read before January 1, 1990, as a result of a crash that occurred before January 1, 1990, the privilege shall be suspended or revoked pursuant to this section as it read before January 1, 1990.