What San Diegans need to know about California’s new ‘daylighting’ parking law

Watch where you park on New Year’s Day.

Starting Jan. 1, drivers across California can be ticketed for parking within 20 feet of any crosswalk — even if there is nothing to mark the no-parking zone or the crosswalk.

San Diego has been marking curbs red and adding signage in anticipation of the new law, but said in a statement that “not all City curbs will be able to be marked.”

The state Legislature passed AB-413 with the goal of reducing traffic accidents. The practice, known as daylighting, is meant to increase visibility for drivers to see around the corners at intersections. Forty-three states already have a similar law.

Here’s what to know if you live in or visit San Diego.

What’s the penalty?

Though the law was passed in 2023, enforcement begins in 2025. Starting Jan. 1, San Diego police will issue warning citations. After a 60-day grace period that ends March 1, they’ll issue a $77.50 fine.

How is San Diego parking affected?

More than 16,000 intersections in the city of San Diego will be impacted by the new law. The city has only added signage at about 100 of those locations so far. 

“The evaluations and implementation of curbs and red curbs require significant employee resources to implement and are not required by California state law,” a city spokesperson said in a statement to inewsource. “We will continue curb evaluations with consideration of the limited staffing and funding resources the City has to account for 16,000 intersections.” 

The new law will also affect 164 metered parking spaces downtown. The city has removed meters from 97 spaces and moved another 67 meters back from the crosswalk, according to the statement.

How does ‘daylighting’ improve safety?

San Diego set out to completely eliminate traffic deaths by adopting a Vision Zero plan in 2015, but it hasn’t been enough to stop an upward trend in traffic deaths and deadly collisions involving pedestrians.

While research hasn’t shown a definitive cause for the uptick, theories include larger cars, cars with better acceleration and distraction by smartphones.

“Working together, we can prevent needless crashes and save lives, simply by changing how and where we park our vehicles,” said city Transportation Department Director Bethany Bezak in a statement. “This new law will bring us closer to our Vision Zero goals, and a future where everyone in San Diego may safely walk and ride.”

Daylighting aims to increase safety for everyone around crosswalks but in particular, pedestrians who are increasingly at risk for fatal accidents.

State data shows that in San Diego pedestrian deaths increased 25% and across California, 40% from 2014 to 2023.

This mirrors national trends that show accelerating pedestrian deaths. Governors Highway Safety Association data show that between 2010 and 2022, pedestrian fatality deaths rose 77% nationally while deaths for drivers and passengers increased nearly 25%.