California Bad Driver Accident Law. State rules, local courts, real crash data.

California's statute of limitations, pure comparative fault system, insurance requirements, and court procedures — covered at the state level and for each major city. Written by Jayson Elliott, J.D., a California-licensed attorney.

Legal Information Notice

General legal information for educational purposes only. Not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state.

Primary State Guide

California

California is an at-fault state with a two-year statute of limitations under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 and a pure comparative fault system that allows recovery regardless of the plaintiff's percentage of fault.

Statute of Limitations

2 Years

Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1. Government entity defendants require a six-month administrative claim under Government Code § 911.2.

Fault System

Pure Comparative

Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975). No percentage of fault bars recovery entirely. Recovery reduced proportionally by plaintiff's fault share.

Minimum Insurance

$15K/$30K/$5K

CVC § 16056. UM/UIM coverage required to be offered under Insurance Code § 11580.2.

Read the full California legal guide →
California City Guides

Local Courts, Crash Data & Insurance Landscape

Los Angeles County

Los Angeles

Population 3,898,747. Stanley Mosk Courthouse. LASC Personal Injury Court program. All six bad driver situation guides.
San Diego County

San Diego

Population 1,385,398. Hall of Justice. 5,754 crashes in 2023. Cross-border insurance dynamics. All six situation guides.
Santa Clara County

San Jose

Population 1,013,240. Downtown Superior Courthouse. Tech-worker lost wage dynamics. All six situation guides.

Check the California SOL

Use our statute of limitations reference tool for California's general filing window and key exceptions.

California SOL ReferenceAll States SOL Tool