What you need to know about California’s new ‘daylighting’ law
California's new law, AB 413, aims to enhance safety on busy Southern California streets by implementing ‘daylighting’.
Finding a parking spot in Southern California can be a challenge, especially in crowded areas like downtown LA, Hollywood and Koreatown. Many drivers use the driving lanes as temporary or overnight parking spaces when they need them.
But a new law in California wants to change that. It wants to stop drivers from parking too close to crosswalks, so that drivers and pedestrians can see each other better.
What is ‘daylighting’?
This idea is called ‘daylighting’ by the people who support it.
According to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, daylighting is a “simple concept that improves safety by removing parked cars next to crosswalks. By keeping the area next to crosswalks clear of parked vehicle obstructions, people walking and driving or riding on the street can see each other better.”
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The California Legislative Information website says that “this bill would prohibit the stopping, standing, or parking of a vehicle within 20 feet of the vehicle approach side of any unmarked or marked crosswalk or 15 feet of any crosswalk where a curb extension is present, as specified.”
The law, which is known as AB 413, was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year and was proposed by Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San Jose). The law came into effect this year and drivers have a year to follow it before they get fined.
How will ‘daylighting’ change the way you park in California?
Lee said in a statement that “daylighting is a proven way we can make our streets safer for everyone, and 43 other states have already implemented some version of daylighting.” He added that “by making it easier for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists to see each other at intersections, we can take a simple and important step to help us all safely share the road.”
Supporters of the law also said that more than 40 states have similar laws. The California Office of Traffic Safety reported that more pedestrians die in California than in most other states.
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The number of pedestrians who died went up from 1,013 to 1,108 between 2020 and 2021. But the number of bicyclists who died went down from 136 to 125.
City officials said that 134 pedestrians were hit and killed by drivers in Los Angeles last year, from January to October. And 427 people were badly hurt.
They said that this was a 13% increase in the number of pedestrians who died compared to the year before. And it was an 18% increase in the number of people who were severely injured.
