Keep your Butts and Ashes in the Car

Do you ever get that urge to toss your cigar/cigarette ashes or butts out of your car window?

Well, if you act on that urge and get caught, not only will you be issued a hefty fine, you will also spend 8 hours picking up trash alongside your local freeway or scrubbing graffitti off cement walls. The California Vehicle Code requires a Judge to order the guilty offender to perform community service. The more times you disobey the law, the fine goes up as well as the hours you will devote in making the County of Los Angeles a cleaner place.


"§ 23111. California Vehicle Code
No person in any vehicle and no pedestrian shall throw or discharge from or upon any road or highway or adjoining area, public or private, any lighted or nonlighted cigarette, cigar, match, or any flaming or glowing substance. This section shall be known as the Paul Buzzo Act."


"§ 42001.7. California Vehicle Code
(a) Every person convicted of a violation of Section 23111 or 23112, or subdivision (a) of Section 23113, shall be punished by a mandatory fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) upon a first conviction, by a mandatory fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) upon a second conviction, and by a mandatory fine of not less than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) upon a third or subsequent conviction.
In no case may the court order imprisonment in the county jail for a violation punishable under this subdivision, unless imprisonment is ordered pursuant to Section 166 of the Penal Code.
(b) The court shall, in addition to the fines imposed pursuant to subdivision (a), order the offender to pick up litter or clean up graffiti at a time and place within the jurisdiction of the court as follows:
(1) For a first conviction punished pursuant to subdivision (a), the court shall require the offender to pick up litter or clean up graffiti for not less than eight hours.
(2) For a second conviction punished pursuant to subdivision (a), the court shall require the offender to pick up litter or clean up graffiti for not less than 16 hours.
(3) For a third or subsequent conviction punished pursuant to subdivision (a), the court shall require the offender to pick up litter or clean up graffiti for not less than 24 hours.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that persons convicted of highway littering be required to bear the penalty for their actions.
Therefore, the court may not suspend the mandatory fines required by subdivision (a) except in unusual cases where the interest of justice would best be served by suspension of the fine. If the court suspends imposition of any fine required by subdivision (a), it shall, as a condition of that suspension, require the offender to pick up litter or clean up graffiti at a time and place within the jurisdiction of the court for not less than eight hours for every one hundred dollars ($100) of fine suspended. The court may not suspend the order to pick up litter or clean up graffiti required by this subdivision or subdivision (b) except in unusual cases where the interest of justice would best be served by suspension of that order."

So, the next time you light up - remember to keep your butts and ashes in the car!