This law requires that during darkness, all motor vehicles that aren't linked to another vehicle, or are the last in a combination, must have working taillamps at the rear. Every vehicle needs at least one taillamp, but cars and trucks made after January 1, 1958, need at least two, except certain small trailers. Vehicles at the end of a vehicle combo must also have two taillamps. When two taillamps are needed, they should be mounted on both the left and right sides at the same height. The taillamps should be red, easily seen from 500 feet, and if the vehicle was made after 1969, visible from 1,000 feet. Taillamps on post-1969 vehicles should be mounted at specific heights, and tow trucks can have extra taillamps in certain positions, turned on with the headlights.

This law requires that your vehicle's rear license plate be illuminated with a white light at night, so it can be clearly read from 50 feet away. If there's a separate lamp for the license plate, it must turn on and off with the same switch used for the taillamp.

This law permits cars to have up to two red fog taillights on the back, which can only be used when conditions like fog, rain, snow, or dust make it hard to see other vehicles from less than 500 feet away. If two lights are installed, they must be at the same level on the left and right. If only one light is installed, it should be on the left or center. These lights must be between 12 and 60 inches off the ground and placed at least four inches away from stoplights. They must only work when the headlights are on and should have a switch to turn them off even if the headlights are on. An amber indicator light should be visible to the driver when the fog lights are turned on.

This law details the requirements for stoplamps (brake lights) on vehicles. All vehicles must have at least one stoplamp, except for those produced after 1958 (and trailers after 1973) which typically need two, unless they're very narrow. These lights must be visible from certain distances and are mounted at specific heights, typically between 15 and 72 inches. Modern cars must show red light when braking, but older ones can have red or yellow. The law also addresses additional lights on specialized vehicles like tow trucks, and exemptions for commercial vehicles and autonomous vehicles. Supplemental stoplamps are allowed, provided they meet specified requirements like color and position. All installations must adhere to federal safety standards where applicable.

This law requires special markers when a vehicle's load or any part of the vehicle extends four feet or more beyond its rear. During nighttime, the extended part must display two red lights that can be seen from 500 feet away. During the daytime, a red or fluorescent orange flag or cloth at least 18 inches square must be used instead.

If the load is only two feet wide or less, one flag or cloth at the end is enough. If it's wider than two feet, two flags or cloths are needed to show the full width.

This section requires that tow trucks and car dismantler's tow vehicles have specific lights installed for safety when towing. They must carry taillights, stoplights, and turn signal lights for the towed vehicle. If these lights can't be used on the towed vehicle, the lights must be mounted on the towed vehicle, except in certain conditions. During the night, if the taillight on the towed vehicle doesn't work, a taillight must be visible on the rear of the towed vehicle. However, if the towing vehicle’s rear lights are clearly visible from the back of the towed vehicle, the towed vehicle doesn’t need separate lights, except in driveaway-towaway operations.

If you have a motor vehicle (not a motorcycle) made after January 1, 1969, it needs to have backup lights that shine a white light when you're reversing. These lights shouldn't shine more than 75 feet behind your car. The backup lights can only be on when the car is backing up, unless they're part of a system that temporarily lights them up after the car is turned off.

Additionally, your car can have extra lights on the sides near the back to help light up areas not covered by the backup lights, but these should only be used at the same time as the backup lights.

This law outlines the requirements for reflectors on larger vehicles like trucks, trailers, semitrailers, housecars, and buses that are 80 or more inches wide. These vehicles, manufactured after January 1, 1968, need amber reflectors on the front sides and red reflectors on the rear sides. Additionally, those that are also 30 or more feet in length need an amber reflector at the midpoint on each side.

The reflectors must be installed at a height between 15 and 60 inches, and they should be clearly visible at night from a distance of 100 to 600 feet. The law also allows for area reflectorizing material to replace traditional reflectors if they meet the same visibility standards.

This law states that vehicles can have white or amber reflectors on the front, as long as they are between 15 and 60 inches off the ground. Additionally, school buses can have two amber reflectors integrated with amber lights, mounted on both the left and right sides of the bus at the same level.

This law explains that reflectors used on vehicles need to meet specific requirements. If the reflector is a button or made up of multiple parts, it must have at least seven parts and cover a reflecting area of at least three square inches. These red reflectors can be separate or part of the taillamps, but they must meet certain standards as described in other related sections (Sections 24600, 24602, and 24609), including quality of how they reflect light (photometric requirements).

If a trailer is wider than 80 inches and weighs more than 10,000 pounds, and it has red and white reflective sheeting or reflectors installed according to federal safety standards, it doesn't need to have the additional reflectors that California requires by separate sections.

This law requires certain large trailers, semitrailers, and truck tractors to have visibility-enhancing features called conspicuity systems. If these vehicles are 80 inches or wider and weigh more than 10,000 pounds, and are made on or after December 1, 1993, they must have either retroreflective sheeting or reflex reflectors, complying with federal safety standards. Trucks made before that date may also have these visibility features voluntarily.

Additionally, trailers and semitrailers wider than 80 inches and heavier than 10,000 pounds, made before December 1, 1993, must meet another federal requirement.

This law makes it illegal to drive a vehicle on public roads at 25 mph or less unless it has a 'slow-moving vehicle emblem' at the back. Exceptions exist for utility vehicles or highway workers on active job sites. The emblem must be a specific triangle design, mounted at a specific height on the vehicle. It can only be used as allowed by this section.

This law allows a vehicle to have one or two rear-facing auxiliary lamps, which are lights mounted on the back of the car. These lights must shine white and illuminate the ground directly behind the car for up to 50 feet, not shining forward or to the sides.

These lights can only be turned on when the car is parked. If the car has an automatic transmission, the lights activate in park mode, and for manual transmissions, they activate in neutral with the parking brake on. The switch to turn on the light can be placed at the rear of the car.

California law allows transit buses to have a yield right-of-way sign on the back, which can be either a static decal or a flashing LED sign meant to warn drivers that the bus is entering traffic. This sign may flash alongside the rear turn signals, but it is not mandatory. The sign should light up red when the bus is entering a lane after stopping for passengers.

Transit agencies are not obliged to install these signs, and bus drivers must still prioritize safety and follow existing traffic laws. This law only applies if the transit agency's governing board approves it after a public hearing. If the signs are used, the transit agency must educate drivers to yield to buses with active signs.