Vehicles: video event recorders: taxicabs.

(1) Existing law prohibits a person from driving a motor vehicle with an object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied upon the windshield or side or rear windows, or upon the vehicle that obstructs or reduces the driver's clear view through the windshield or side windows. Existing law provides that the above prohibition does not apply to, among other things, a video event recorder with the capability of monitoring driver performance to improve driver safety. Existing law requires a city or county to protect the public health, safety, and welfare by adopting an ordinance or resolution with regard to taxicab transportation service rendered in vehicles that are operated within the jurisdiction of the city or county. This bill would additionally exempt from that prohibition a video recorder that is installed, as specified, in a licenced taxicab pursuant to a city or county ordinance or resolution if certain requirements are met. (2) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.