Daylighting measure aims to boost visibility, reduce pedestrian fatalities
Starting January 1, 2025, all California drivers will be prohibited from parking or stopping their vehicles within 20 feet of marked or unmarked crosswalks, according to a new law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in October. The legislation, Assembly Bill 413, aims to improve visibility for drivers and pedestrians by creating a “daylighting” zone near intersections. The proliferation of larger SUVs and trucks has decreased visibility at crosswalks and intersections significantly for both pedestrians and smaller passenger vehicles.

AB 413 mandates a 20-foot buffer zone on the side of the road where vehicles approach crosswalks. This restriction applies to both marked and unmarked crosswalks. An unmarked crosswalk is essentially any intersection where two roads meet at a right (90 degree) angle. The new regulation will be enforced statewide, beginning with a 60-day grace period from January 1 to March 1, 2025. Violations of the new parking restriction will result in a $65 fine, plus a state-mandated surcharge of $12.50, totaling $77.50. This penalty is higher than a typical parking ticket but less severe than other red curb violations.
The bill, authored by Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San Jose), aims to reduce pedestrian fatalities, an issue brought to the forefront for Alamedans when Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan was struck and killed on Shore Line Drive in November 2021. The daylighting law allows for local jurisdictions to establish different distances if they have supporting traffic safety data and mark the space with paint or signs.

“AB 413 will save lives and make our streets safer for everyone,” Lee said. “The signing of the legislation represents a simple, but important step forward to improving California’s road safety. California’s pedestrian fatality rate is nearly 25% higher than the national average. By increasing critical visibility of our streets, this bill will help prevent fatal accidents.”

Locally, several intersections have been revamped to allow for better visibility. Alameda’s Vision Zero Action Plan, designed to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries in the city by 2035, is supported by the Public Works Department’s High Injury Corridor Daylighting Project. The City’s policy describes how to enhance visibility at intersections by prohibiting parking within 20 feet of corners and requiring visibility enhancements on busier streets. Already the City has completed these enhancements along nine high injury corridors [PDF]. Other cities also have implemented daylighting at some crosswalks, including San Francisco, where 80 intersections in the Tenderloin neighborhood saw a 14% reduction in collisions after implementing daylighting measures.