You’ve probably heard about Assembly Bill 413, the “Daylighting Law” passed by the California legislature last year. It prohibits parking within 20 feet (about one car length) of any crosswalk in the direction of approaching traffic. The law was passed to improve safety at intersections, especially for pedestrians.
I’m writing, because starting Monday, Nov. 11, we, the SFMTA, began issuing written warnings for vehicles parked within 20 feet of any crosswalk in the direction of approaching traffic.
Starting Jan. 1, 2025, we will begin issuing citations to comply with California law.
This law applies to all crosswalks, whether the crossing is painted or not. The state legislature didn’t provide us with the resources to paint every spot red before the law goes into effect on Jan. 1., It’s important for San Francisco drivers to remember to park at least 20 feet – about one car length – away from any marked or unmarked crosswalk.
How daylighting helps people walking and driving
The extra space created by daylighting helps both people walking and driving see each other better. Parked cars will no longer limit what people can see before they step off the curb to cross. Drivers will be able to better see people about to cross the street who might have been hidden by a car without daylighting. This is especially important for children, who are less visible at intersections.
Our agency has been a strong proponent of daylighting. We have already painted red zones at many busy or high injury intersections.
Why California changed its intersection parking law
Before the state legislature passed the Daylighting Law last year, California was one of the few states that did not require daylighting at intersections.
The U.S. Uniform Vehicle Code, adopted in 1926, prohibited parking within 25 feet of an intersection. This later was amended to 20 feet. Many countries around the world also prohibit parking within 5 meters (or 16 feet) of an intersection.
California, however, opted to create the state’s own Vehicle Code. It did not include daylighting provisions. So, while daylighting is new to California, the concept is almost as old as the automobile itself.
Here in San Francisco, the Board of Supervisors in 2019 adopted a resolution “urging the SFMTA to create a daylighting plan and systematically implement parking restrictions at intersection corners,” especially on the city’s High Injury Network. That’s the 12% of city streets that account for 68% of severe and fatal traffic crashes.
Now, California joins the more than 40 states that mandate daylighting. So, remember to change the way you park at intersections. Leave a car-length space between your vehicle and the crosswalk in front of you if there is no red zone or parking sign.
You can learn more about daylighting and about the new law at our daylighting webpage.